Dual-core processor from AMD

Advanced Micro Devices Inc., for the second time in past two years, will take the lead in transforming the industry-standard, mainstream computing market with the release of the first dual-core x86-based &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/world/2002/01/03/24862.html ' target=_blank>microprocessors for servers.

The Opteron 800 series processor is designed for four- to eight-way servers, while the 200 series chips are targeted at two-way servers and workstations. For desktop users, AMD is offering the Athlon 64 X2 dual-core processor.

These products arrive on the heels of Intel's Pentium Extreme Edition 840 processor, introduced on Monday, marking Intel's first foray into dual-core technology.

Intel's dual-core chips, which debuted Monday in the US, are designed for desktops. Server versions of its Xeon server chips won't come out until early 2006, tells Xinhuanet.

Unveiled yesterday, the dual-core Opterons are AMD's first products to contain two separate processing engines, or cores, on a single chip. The first three of these chips, which are targeted at servers with four processors, will begin shipping over the next few weeks in products such as &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/comp/2003/04/09/45830.html ' target=_blank>Hewlett-Packard Co.'s ProLiant BL45p and DL585 systems and Sun Microsystems Inc.'s Sun Fire V40z servers.

So far, IBM has committed to shipping the dual-core Opteron in only one server product, the eServer 326, which is designed for technical and high-performance computing users. IBM hasn't said when it expects to ship a dual-core version of the eServer 326.

Still, the company's announcement is good news for WebSphere and DB2 customers who may be looking at the dual-core Opterons. IBM has been offering dual-core versions of its PowerPC processor for several years now, but it has licensed the software on a per-core basis, reports the Computer News.