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Intel Xeon 5500 Series Processors - Nehalem Readiness Kit

Intel® Xeon® 5500 Series Processors

The Intel® Xeon® processor 5500 series delivers leading performance that adapts to application needs, intelligently scales energy use to performance demands, and offers best-in-class virtualization. Ideal for businesses of all sizes, the Intel® Xeon® processor 5500 series can automatically increase processor frequency when needed and reduce power during low-use times.

"Gainestown" vs. "Harpertown"

Below is a table comparing the "Codename: Gainestown" Intel 5500 Series Processors based on the new "Nehalem" microarchitecture versus the previous generation "Core" microarchitecture-based "Codename: Harpertown" Intel 5400 Series Processors.

Intel QuickPath Interconnect

Intel QPI is a Cache-Coherent, High-Speed point-to-point interconnect used in Intel’s next generation of processors. QPI provides a high bandwidth, low latency connection between CPUs and between the CPUs and the chipset.

Intelligent Power Technology

Helps reduce energy costs by putting the CPU and memory into an optical power state while still delivering the performance you need.

Turbo Boost Technology

Opportunistically, and automatically, allows the processor to run faster than the marked frequency if the processor is operating below power, temperature, and current limits. Results in increased performance of both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads.
Generation Intel Xeon 5500
"Gainestown"		 Intel Xeon 5400
"Harpertown"
Max CPUs Per System 2 2
Max Number of Cores 4 4
Integrated Memory Controller (QPI) Yes No
Interconnect/Bus Intel QuickPath Interconnect Front Side Bus
Memory Support 3-Channel DDR3 2-Channel FB-DIMM/DDR2
Intel Intelligent Power Technology Yes No
Intel Turbo Boost Technology Yes No
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology Yes No
Socket LGA1366 LGA775
Process Technology 45nm 45nm
Intel Thermal Solution Sold Separately Included

Interconnect Comparison

  Front Side Bus Intel QuickPath Interconnect AMD HyperTransport
Topology Shared Bus Point to point Point to point
Signaling Technology GTL+ Differential Differential
Bus Width 64 bits 20 bits 16 bits
Max Data Width 64 bits 16 bits 16 bits
Data Sampling Quad-Pump Source Synchronous Forwarded Clock Double Data Rate Forwarded Clock
Data Rate 1.6 GT/s 4.8 - 6.4 GT/s (initial) 2.0 GT/s (v2)
5.2 GT/s (v3)
Max Bandwidth 4.2 GB/s 25.6 GB/s per link pair (6.4 GT/s) 20.8 GB/s per link pair (v3)
Total Number of Pins 150 84 75
Sideband Signals Yes No Yes
Clock per Bus 1 1 2