Date: 24/06/2010

AMD's new Opteron series at $99 brings servers at desktop price

AMD's server processors are not only lead in performance, AMD is now offering new Opteron processors starting at a price of $99, a price lot less than what is normal for server processors from AMD and Intel. It's cheaper than the Intel's i5 and i7 cores for desktops listed at http://ark.intel.com.

The top 1 rated high performance super computer Jaguar is built using six-core AMD Opteron processors. Jaguar system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory delivers 2.3 petaflop/s theoretical peak performance and 1.75 petaflop/s performance on the Linpack benchmark. AMD processors are powering lot more supercomputer systems such as Jaguar.

The new AMD Opteron 4000 series takes care of cloud computing and hyperscale Data Center demands.

AMD has announced this processor at the GigaOm Structure Cloud Computing and Internet Infrastructure conference. AMD says this is the first server platform designed from the beginning to meet the specific requirements of cloud computers, hyperscale data center, and SMB customer's needs. The other areas find these processors useful are high-end embedded systems such as telecom servers, storage, and digital signage, through AMD Embedded Solutions. Computer makers Acer, Dell, HP, SGI, Supermicro, ZT Systems are releasing systems based on Opteron 4000 in the coming months.

As per Patrick Patla, corporate vice president and general manager, Server and Embedded Division, AMD, Opteron 4000 Series enables design of extremely power and cost efficient, highly customizable systems and is an ideal solution for high-end embedded systems.

AMD says Opteron 4000 Series platform offers four- and six-core performance at less than 6W per core, reducing power up to 24% over its predecessors.

The AMD Opteron 4100 Series processor is more suggested for custom-designed servers because it allows for smaller heat sinks, power supplies, and fans, as well as low voltage memory to help improve power efficiency.
The release also states Opteron 4000 Series platform is chipset-consistent with the 8 and 12core AMD Opteron 6000 Series platform and is planned to support the new "Bulldozer" core, planned for the year 2011.