Intel has launched a new processor series in its Xeon line called the 7400 Series. The CPUs have up to six processing cores per chip and 16MB of shared cache. Intel says that applications built for virtualization and applications with demanding workloads can see up to a 50% increase in performance in some cases on the new processors.

Platforms using the new processor series can scale up to 16 processor sockets and can deliver servers with up to 96 cores inside. The 7400 series offers frequencies up to 2.66GHz and power requirements as low as 50W. Intel also offers the first six-core, x86 compatible CPU needing 65W of power.

"The arrival of these processors extends Intel's lead in the high-end server segment," said Tom Kilroy, Intel vice president and general manager of the Digital Enterprise Group. "This new processor series helps IT manage increasingly complex enterprise server environments, providing a great opportunity to boost the scalable performance of multi-threaded applications within a stable platform infrastructure. With new features such as additional cores, large shared caches and advanced virtualization technologies, the Xeon(R) 7400 series delivers record-breaking performance that will lead enterprises into the next wave of virtualization deployments."

Via Intel