Dell launches first quad-core workstations
updated 09:05 am EST, Wed November 8, 2006
Dell Quad-Core Workstation
Dell on Wednesday introduced the very first professional workstations to use quad-core Intel processors, according to the company. Its updated Precision line adds the choice of a single-socket, quad-core Core 2 Extreme at 2.66GHz for the Precision 390 model or as many as two of Intel's new Xeon 5300-series quad-core processors, providing as many as eight cores in a single system. A fully-configured, eight-core Precision 690 can improve performance as much as 54% over a similar four-core model, Dell claims. The new 490 and 690 models further ship with double the number of available memory channels, allowing for as much as 32GB of RAM to be installed in the 490 and 64GB in the flagship 690. The 690 further adds an SLI option for dual NVIDIA Quadro workstation graphics cards. Prices for systems equipped with quad-core processors start at $2,223 for the Precision 390; all models ship today.
