Intel Launches New Eco-Friendly Xeon Processors

Intel has begun shipping four new eco-friendly Xeon processors today with power-efficiency as low as 12.5 W per core.

Intel is promising that besides the lower power requirements, the new processors will offer an increase in performance and a savings for the environment. The new Intel Xeon X5492, X5470, X5270 and L5430 processors are Intel’s first Xeon processors to be halogen-free, although from this point on, all Xeon 5200 and 5400 series processors will be. Intel is looking to make most of its 45 nm processors and 65 nm chipsets halogen-free by the end of 2008. The new Xeon processors will also offer greater energy efficiency in part to a 45 nm manufacturing process and a reinvented transistor technology using a halfnium-based high-k metal gate formula.

The new quad-core Intel Xeon L5430 processor is the least power hungry of the new chips, featuring a 2.66 GHz clock-speed, 1333 MHz FSB and a very power-efficient TDP of just 50 W. The Intel Core 2 Quad Mobile processor for comparison has a TDP of 45 W and a 2.26 GHz clock-speed. The new X5470, also a quad-core, features a 3.33 GHz clock-speed, 1333 MHz FSB and a 120 W TDP, while the new X5492 quad-core features a 3.4 GHz clock-speed, 1600 MHz FSB and 150 W TDP. Lastly, we have the new Xeon X5270, which is a dual-core processor that features a 3.5 GHz clock-speed, 1333 FSB and an 80 W TDP.

The new processors are all drop-in compatible with existing platforms, though the Xeon X5492 will be only drop-in compatible with the Xeon 5400 chipset. Intel claims the X5470 processor has set a world record score of 150 using SPECint*_rate2006, which measures integer throughput performance. Prices for the new Xeon L5430, X5470, X5492 and X5270 are set at $562, $1386, $1493 and $1172, respectively.

  • blackwidow_rsa
    Holy crap. Is that the work of the new gate tech or are these extreme binned?
    Reply
  • Pei-chen
    Wow, L5430 is at least 50% faster than Phenom 9150E 65W and still use less power. Too bad I don't want to pay triple.
    Reply
  • nice... so the table is turned... now we have cpus that use less power than a lamp but we have gpus as hungry as a toaster or if you put multiple gpus you have a complete vacuum cleaner (sound included) lol
    so, the psus ultimatly will continue as high as they are...
    Reply
  • SirCrono
    Well, it's a good step towards less power hungry systems, let's hope ati and nvidia get the hint soon.

    Also, I'd like to know what is "halfnium", is it like half a hafnium atom??
    Reply
  • ossie
    "power-efficiency as low as 12.5 W per core"

    makes the icing on the cake...

    hint: try "power-usage" or "high", eventually
    Reply
  • Mucke
    50 Watt

    Well, including the memory controller this should be just over 65Watt -- AMD would therefore call that very same CPU a 89Watt CPU.

    But hey, using a different naming scheme Intel's IT is much greener ;-)

    Well, it's a good step towards less power hungry systems, let's hope ati and nvidia get the hint soon.

    1 Teraflop/160Watt, I think ATI already got the hint.

    Wow, L5430 is at least 50% faster than Phenom 9150E

    Where did you get that number from? In Server Benchmarks AMD usually looks much better than in gaming. 50% faster sounds like SuperPI ;)

    Reply
  • steveseguin
    hint: try "power-usage" or "high", eventually
    Thanks for pointing that out. :) Minor oversight on my part.

    Well, including the memory controller this should be just over 65Watt -- AMD would therefore call that very same CPU a 89Watt CPU.
    It should be interesting to see how AMD and Intel compare when Intel releases processors with integrated memory controllers. AMD announced recently new energy efficient X3 Phenoms that are clocked slower than these chips and have a 65W TDP I believe, although they are much cheaper. :)
    Reply
  • jawshoeaw
    Yawn, more greenwashing. If you want more energy efficiency, turn off the computer - or better yet don't upgrade every 6 months.
    Reply
  • doomsdaydave11
    jawshoeawYawn, more greenwashing. If you want more energy efficiency, turn off the computer - or better yet don't upgrade every 6 months.
    Exactly. But I Xeons are targeted towards servers, most of which are on 24/7/365, so "just turning it off" wouldn't be an option.
    Reply