NEC Unveils World's Fastest Supercomputer, Available for Order

NEC Corporation, a Japanese technology firm, has announced the availability of its new supercomputer, the SX-8, which boasts the highest speed in the world. The supercomputer can reach a theoretical peak speed of 58 teraflops when 512 units are linked together, surpassing IBM's speed using the same testing standards. The company has already received orders from the UK weather bureau and the University of Stuttgart, with shipments expected as early as December.

Key Takeaways:

• NEC's SX-8 supercomputer is the fastest in the world, capable of achieving a theoretical peak speed of 58 teraflops when 512 units are linked together.
• The company has received orders for a 15-unit system from the UK weather bureau and a 64-unit system from the University of Stuttgart, with shipments expected by December.
• NEC plans to lease the SX-8 for a monthly fee of 1.17 million yen per unit.
• The company aims to sell 700 of the supercomputers in the next three years.
• NEC's development of the SX-8 marks a continuation of its rivalry with IBM in the creation of the world's fastest supercomputer, with NEC previously developed the 35.86-teraflop Earth Simulator in 2002.
• The U.S. computer giant, IBM, has developed a 36.01-teraflop prototype supercomputer for use at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, keeping the competition alive.

Statistics:

• Theoretical peak speed of 58 teraflops when 512 units of the SX-8 supercomputer are linked together.
• 50-60 billion yen is the cost of 512 units of the SX-8 supercomputer.
• The UK weather bureau has ordered a 15-unit system with a speed of 2 teraflops.
• University of Stuttgart has ordered a 64-unit system with a speed of 8 teraflops.
• NEC plans to lease the SX-8 for a monthly fee of 1.17 million yen per unit.

Sources:

• "NEC Unveils World's Fastest Supercomputer" by Nikkei, October 21, 2004.