AMD Adds Dual-Core Opterons

Online staff -- Electronic News, 9/26/2005

Seemingly in lock step with its rival Intel Corp., Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) rolled out new dual-core processors aimed at servers and workstations.

The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based detailed three new models in its dual-core Opteron processor family, the first of which – Model 880 – is meant to power up to eight-way, 16-core enterprise-class servers. Model 280 is slated for high-performance dual-processor workstations and servers. The third processor – Model 180 – was designed for one-processor, two-core servers and workstations.

In terms of performance-per-watt, AMD said the dual-core Opteron processors represents a potential annual savings of $50,000 for a datacenter with 500 two-way systems, noted Marty Seyer, corporate VP of commercial business and performance computing at AMD.

AMD also pointed out that Intel has yet to accept the challenge it issued in August to a Dual-Core Duel to evaluate workloads and power consumption, which would be a live, public performance evaluation between server platforms based on the highest-performing dual-core AMD Opteron 800 Series or 200 Series processors and the corresponding Intel x86 server processors that are commercially available in volume.

The dual-core AMD Opteron processor Model 880 is priced at $2,649 in 1,000-unit quantities and the Model 280 is priced at $1,299 in 1,000-unit quantities. Model 180 is scheduled to be available within 30 days and will be priced at $799 in 1,000-unit quantities.