Intel Refreshes Intel Xeon Processor Portfolio Lineup

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 18, 2002--Intel Corporation has introduced a dozen Intel® Xeon(TM) processor family products including new processors, chipsets and platforms for Intel-based servers and workstations. Today's product introduction marks the company's largest enterprise product launch to date and comes seven years after the company shipped its first multiprocessor-capable chip in November 1995.

Intel also delivered innovations for workstation computing, including advanced graphics and connectivity capabilities, support for faster memory and Hyper-Threading Technology, which delivers performance gains to workstation applications and multitasking environments.

"Intel has consistently invested and innovated our way through the current economic downturn," said Richard Dracott, group director for Intel's Enterprise Platforms Group. "As a result, we're able to deliver an outstanding line of industry-leading enterprise products that will provide greater performance, innovation and outstanding value for IT investments in 2003 and beyond. Today's introduction of Intel Xeon processor products will contribute to achieving analyst predictions that 2003 will see revenue from Intel-based servers for the first time exceeding RISC-based server revenue."

Intel has begun shipping four new Intel Xeon processors (built on its industry-leading 0.13 micron process technology) designed for two-way servers and workstations at speeds up to 2.8 GHz with 512 KB integrated cache. The new processors add support for a faster, 533 MHz front side bus -- the physical connection between the processor and a chipset.

In addition, Intel launched three new chipsets today. When used with the new processors and faster bus, the Intel® E7501 chipset for two-way servers will help to improve system performance by more than 25 percent. This platform is also optimal for the embedded computing market segment where communication solutions such as load balancing, network security, traffic management, voice over IP and Web caching require more generous I/O throughput and memory performance.

The Intel® E7505 chipset, formerly codenamed "Placer," is for two-way workstations using Intel Xeon processors and the Intel® E7205 chipset, formerly known as "Granite Bay," is for single processor, entry level workstations based on the Intel® Pentium® 4 processor.

Both workstation chipsets support USB 2.0 and are the first from Intel to include support for AGP 8x, which provides twice as much bandwidth as AGP 4x, for graphics intensive applications. Intel's AGP 8x graphics interface is built directly into the chipset's memory controller hub, which helps eliminate latencies introduced by a separate graphics controller.

All three chipsets support dual-channel dynamic data rate (DDR) memory, while the Intel E7501 and E7505 chipsets also support 64 bit PCI/PCI-X for high bandwidth I/O connectivity.

Intel also announced five new server platforms based on the new processors and chipsets, which enable customers to quickly bring new server solutions to market. The platforms support the latest technology such as two Intel® PRO/1000 MT Server Network Connections, embedded serial ATA, Ultra320 SCSI, AGP 8x and Intel® Server Management version 5.5. The server platforms will begin shipping in two weeks and into the first quarter.

Momentum Behind Intel's Enterprise Efforts

Intel-based server shipments have grown to 87 percent of all servers shipped since the first quarter of 1996, the earliest date for which figures are available, according to analysts at IDC.** Gartner Dataquest estimates that revenue in 2003 from Intel-based servers will increase to about $20 billion and for the first time will exceed RISC-based server revenue.***

Today's announcement culminates a busy November for Intel that included new software running on Intel® Itanium® 2 processors and new large-cache Intel® Xeon(TM) processors MP at speeds up to 2 GHz (for four-way and above servers).

Intel is also looking forward to the official introduction of Microsoft* Windows .Net Server 2003 to further bolster the growth of the Intel Itanium and Intel Xeon processor families for multi-processing servers.

"Windows .Net Server 2003 will clearly be the fastest server platform we have ever shipped," said Bill Veghte, vice president, Windows Server Group, Microsoft Corporation. "Microsoft and Intel have optimized Windows .NET Server 2003 to take advantage of the Intel architecture to deliver astounding price performance for our customers."

The Intel Xeon processors at 2.8 GHz, 2.6 GHz, 2.4 GHz and 2 GHz with a 533 MHz front side bus are available for Intel's suggested list prices of $455, $337, $234 and $198, respectively in 1,000-unit quantities. The Intel E7501 chipset with one PCI/PCI-X controller hub for two-way servers, the Intel E7505 with one PCI/PCI-X controller hub for two-way workstations and the Intel E7205 for entry level workstations are available at Intel's suggested list prices of $92, $100 and $57, respectively in 1,000-unit quantities. Intel expects OEM and channel distributors to ship systems based on the new products in the coming weeks.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of computer, networking and communications products. Additional information about Intel is available at www.intel.com/pressroom.

Intel, Intel® Xeon, and Intel® NetBurst are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries.

• Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
• Source, International Data Corporation Research Group, Q2'02 Data, Sept. 3, 2002.
• Source, Gartner Dataquest, Server Market Predictions 2003, Nov. 1, 2002.

For information on the performance of Intel products, visit http://www.intel.com/performance/resources/limits.htm.

     Intel
     Scott McLaughlin, 503/712-1512
     scott.k.mclaughlin@intel.com