Intel's Xeon 3230 is a desktop server beast

AS REPORTED here, Intel is feverishly updating its 65 nanometre CPU line, prior to a possibly delayed AMD Barcelona arrival.

In just over a month, another CPU is to be announced, an updated server/workstation unit that fits into LGA775 desktop boards. It has just arrived to the lab the day before - here are the first impressions.

Xeon 3230, the newest rev of Clovertown UP, is graded as 2.66GHz CPU at FSB1066 and multiplier up to 10, one notch up from our current reference, the 2.4GHz Xeon 3220. The enhanced multiplier ratio, combined with lower power and somewhat improved FSB tolerances, could allow for a 4.5GHz/FSB1800 configuration where the CPU is freeze cooled, and the chipset fully water cooled.

I ran the CPU in the default configuration, with Corsair Nautilus 500 cooler, Corsair Dominator and Geil DDR2-800 CL3-3-3-5 RAM, and pushed it to the limits. Unfortunately, 4GHz wasn't do-able, but 3.82GHz (425 x 9) at FSB1700 was fine on the air-cooled Striker Extreme - see photo. Enough for one day's work - more tuning opportunities over the next few days, I guess.

Windows isn't yet booting at this speed, all I could achieve is 3.4 GHz (425 x 8) with these tight memory timings - DDR2-850 CL-3-3-3-5 is no joke, even at 2.25 volts. But, I could get it all at 1.338 volts for CPU, compared to 1.362 volts for its predecessor. Not to mention the 8,720 MB/s Sandra Memory Bandwidth score.

For the reference voltage for the part, take a look at the 3230 CPU-Z sheet: 1.17 volt Vcc is really low for a 2.66 GHz quad-core default part - it could equate less than 90 W TDP. So, Intel seems to be burning the midnight oil tuning the current parts, after all - looks like new AMD parts may require the same. More benchmarks to follow before the Computex madness. ?