In San Jose, California, at the Embedded Systems Conference, Intel launched two quad-core processors for high performance embedded applications, aimed at designers of telecommunications infrastructure, network storage systems and medical imaging equipment. The E5335 and E5345 are both members of Intel"s Clovertown Quad-core Xeon family, offering 8MB of cache and a 1,333MHz front side bus. Intel"s new E5300-series chips will come in at the top of the company"s range of embedded processors, above embedded versions of its mainstream chips like Core 2 Duo, Pentium, and Celeron. Intel is selling the 2.0GHz E5335 and the 2.33GHz E5345 for $690 per chip in quantities of 1,000.
The powerful 80-watt chips may seem like overkill for embedded platforms, admitted Doug Davis, vice president and general manager of Intel"s embedded and communications group. But a typical Computed tomography scan image is 16GB, so users handling many images or running analytical processing can easily use the quad-core chip"s full potential. As well, high-end embedded platforms like the Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture blade typically offer a 200-watt total envelope, which is enough power to support an E5300-series chip along with chipset, memory, and other peripherals, Davis said.