Intel to launch low power Xeons in Q2 2012 with 3D Transistors

Intel is planning to launch a line of low-power Xeon processors in Q2-2012, which will be the company’s first Xeon processors built on the 22 nm fab process, with 3D transistors.

It is quite likely that these chips are built in the LGA1155 package, however Intel is only releasing low-power variants, which ensures performance-segment Xeon E3-1200 family isn’t disturbed, and more importantly, it doesn’t have to pull out the best bins of its 22 nm Ivy Bridge silicon just yet (for use in higher clock-speed Xeon parts).

Intel has another emerging problem. With the advent of “micro-servers” (low power independent servers in high-density data-centers, which provide better cost-performance and manageability than virtual servers), ARM processor architecture is making inroads to the enterprise computing market.

Intel’s answer to that is refining the same silicon that goes into making low-power Atom processors, and making it enterprise-grade. This part is codenamed “Centerton”, and Intel expects an entire micro-server platform based on these chips to be out in the second half of 2012.

Source: CNet