New Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® processor 5400 series based servers: New Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5400 series based servers, HPC systems, and workstations are built with 45nm enhanced Intel® Core™ microarchitecture previously code-named "Penryn." The Intel® 45nm technology uses high-k dielectric materials that are expected to fuel the ongoing performance advantages predicted by Moore's Law for years to come, and significantly increases the transistor density over the previous Intel® 65nm technology. This second generation Quad-Core Intel Xeon processor 5400 series based platform extends the Performance, Energy-Efficiency and Virtualization leadership established by the Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® 5300 series. The breakthrough performance, energy efficiency and reliability of the new Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® processor-based systems make them the best choice for virtualization and business critical applications, enabling IT to become more efficient and responsive.

Benchmark description for Black-Scholes*: The Black-Scholes kernel workload is based on a financial modeling algorithm for the pricing of European-style options. After its publication in 1973 by Fisher Black, Myron Scholes, and Robert Merton, its impact was enormous and rapid. The benchmark consists of a kernel that implements a derivative of the Black and Scholes technique. SunGard developed the code, which uses a continuous-fraction technique that is more accurate than the traditional polynomial approximation technique. The test produces the time, in seconds, the server took to complete the workload; lower completion times are better.

Configuration details: The above chart compares published/submitted results to www.principledtechnologies.com as of November 11, 2007.

Intel® Xeon® processor 3.60 GHz based platform details: Intel® preproduction server platform with two 64-bit Intel Xeon processors 3.60 GHz with 2MB L2 cache and 800 MHz system bus and 8GB (8x1024 MB) DDR2-400 memory, Microsoft Windows Server* x32 Enterprise Edition. Black-Scholes 64-bit version kernel workload.

Dual-Core Intel® Xeon® processor 5160 based platform details: Intel preproduction server platform with two Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors 5160 3.00 GHz, 4MB L2 cache, 1333 MHz FSB, 8GB memory (8x1GB 667MHz FB-DIMM), Microsoft Windows Server x32 Enterprise Edition. Black-Scholes 64-bit version kernel workload.

Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® processor X5365 based platform details: Supermicro* server platform with two Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors X5365 3.00GHz, 2x4MB L2 cache, 1333 MHz system bus, 16GB (8x2GB) 667MHz FB-DIMM memory, Microsoft Windows Server x32 Enterprise Edition. Black-Scholes 64-bit version kernel workload.

Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® processor X5460 based platform details: Supermicro server platform with two Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors X5460 3.16 GHz, 2x4MB L2 cache, 1333 MHz FSB, 16GB memory (8x2GB 667MHz FB-DIMM), Microsoft Windows Server x32 Enterprise Edition. Black-Scholes 64-bit version kernel workload.

Dual-Core AMD Opteron* processor model 2220SE based platform details: A server platform with two Dual-Core AMD Opteron processors model 2220SE 2.80GHz, 8GB PC3200 memory, Microsoft Windows Server x32 Enterprise Edition. Black-Scholes 64-bit version kernel workload.

Performance tests and ratings are measured using specific computer systems and/or components and reflect the approximate performance of Intel® products as measured by those tests. Any difference in system hardware or software design or configuration may affect actual performance. Buyers should consult other sources of information to evaluate the performance of systems or components they are considering purchasing. For more information on performance tests and on the performance of Intel products, visit Intel Performance Benchmark Limitations.

Relative performance for each benchmark is calculated by taking the actual benchmark result for the first platform tested and assigning it a value of 1.0 as a baseline. Relative performance for the remaining platforms tested was calculated by dividing the actual benchmark result for the baseline platform into each of the specific benchmark results of each of the other platforms and assigning them a relative performance number that correlates with the performance improvements reported.

SPECint*2000/SPECint*2006 and SPECfp*2000/SPECfp*2006 benchmark tests reflect the performance of the microprocessor, memory architecture and compiler of a computer system on compute-intensive, 32-bit applications. SPEC benchmark tests results for Intel® microprocessors are determined using particular, well-configured systems. These results may or may not reflect the relative performance of Intel® microprocessor in systems with different hardware or software designs or configurations (including compilers). Buyers should consult other sources of information, including system benchmarks; to evaluate the performance of systems they are considering purchasing.

64-bit Intel® Xeon® processors with Intel® EM64T requires a computer system with a processor, chipset, BIOS, OS, device drivers and applications enabled for Intel EM64T. Processor will not operate (including 32-bit operation) without an Intel EM64T-enabled BIOS. Performance will vary depending on your hardware and software configurations. Intel EM64T-enabled OS, BIOS, device drivers and applications may not be available. Check with your vendor for more information.

Intel® processor numbers are not a measure of performance. Processor numbers differentiate features within each processor series, not across different processor sequences. See www.intel.com/products/processor_number for details.

Intel products are not intended for use in medical, life saving, life sustaining, critical control or safety systems, or in nuclear facility applications. All dates and products specified are for planning purposes only and are subject to change without notice.

Intel does not control or audit the design or implementation of third party benchmarks or Web sites referenced in this document. Intel encourages all of its customers to visit the referenced Web sites or others where similar performance benchmarks are reported and confirm whether the referenced benchmarks are accurate and reflect performance of systems available for purchase.