Intel has announced new details of its forthcoming dual-core server chips and has released benchmarks for its forthcoming dual-core Itanium processor. Currently Intel offers two dual-core chips, designed for desktop PCs and workstations. Dual-core chips use two central processing units (CPUs) on a single substrate to boost overall performance.

While firms might assume a dual-core chip would deliver twice the performance of a single core version, benchmark results of a forthcoming Itanium chip indicate firms should expect only a 60 percent performance improvement from the new technology. More

About 80 percent of new servers are fitted with two Intel Xeon processors, but the first Intel dual-core server chip will be a Pentium that can be used only in low-end single-socket servers. Intel said this first chip will be the Pentium D and its corresponding Intel E7230 chipset.