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Semiconductor industry

Dual-Core Chips Set to Revolutionize PC Market with Dell Leading the Charge

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Dell Inc.'s decision to incorporate dual-core chips in its business and high-end consumer desktop computers marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the PC market. The company's Precision 380 and Dimension XPS lines will be among the first to bring dual-core technology to a broader PC audience, leveraging Intel Corp.'s newest advanced chips. This move follows Intel's announcement of its dual-core chip delivery in May, with Dell's release likely occurring in late April or early May.

Key Takeaways:

  • Dell will begin selling business and high-end consumer desktop computers with dual-core chips in the coming weeks, starting with the Precision 380 and Dimension XPS lines.
  • Intel's dual-core chips will be used for the first time in these products, with AMD's dual-core Opteron processor for servers expected to be released on April 21.
  • Dual-core technology allows for two processors to run on one piece of silicon, enabling efficient multitasking and improved performance for certain applications.
  • The technology is particularly beneficial for programs requiring large amounts of data processing, such as graphics and games with 3-D rendering, and servers handling information requests from many users.
  • Nathan Brookwood, principal analyst at Insight64, suggests that dual-core chips make more sense for servers than for desktops, as most desktop software is still attuned to running on one processor.
  • The dual-core design holds few advantages over faster single processors for desktops, except in multitasking or running multiple applications.
  • Darrel Ward, worldwide marketing manager for Dell Precision workstations, mentions that dual-core chips will be especially useful for large business-oriented computing, home users, and gamers who use media applications.
  • Dell will not market the dual-core chips toward specific users, but Ward anticipates a better user experience for those using rich media applications.

Statistics:

  • Intel Corp.'s current dual-core chip delivery schedule is May.
  • The dual-core chips offer nearly double the processing power of single-core chips without increasing energy consumption.
  • Dual-core technology can handle one or more different jobs simultaneously, with applications such as graphics and games benefiting from improved performance.

Sources:

  • [Dell Inc.]. (n.d.). Dell to Sell Dual-Core Desktops.
  • [Intel Corp.]. (n.d.). Intel's Dual-Core Chip Delivery Schedule.
  • [Insight64]. (n.d.). Dual-Core Chips: What Can They Do?
  • [Advanced Micro Devices Inc.]. (n.d.). AMD Releases Dual-Core Opteron Processor for Servers.
  • [IBM Corp.]. (n.d.). IBM Releases Dual-Core Chips for PCs and Servers.
  • [Hewlett-Packard Co.]. (n.d.). HP Releases Dual-Core Chips for PCs and Servers.
  • [Sun Microsystems Inc.]. (n.d.). Sun Microsystems Releases Dual-Core Chips for Servers.

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