Both released in 2010, the Intel Xeon E5503 and Intel Core i7-930 are two processors, or central processing units (CPU), from semiconductor company Intel Corp. While the E5503 belongs to the company's brand of server- and workstation-oriented CPUs, the i7-930 is a desktop personal computer entry in the top-level division of Intel's premier Core brand of CPUs. Energy efficiency is the main advantage of the E5503, although the i7-930 surpasses its Xeon cousin in most categories.
Manufacture
The Intel Xeon E5503 is a dual-core CPU, which means it has two cores, or processing units. By contrast, the Intel Core i7-930 has four cores, which makes it twice as powerful as the Xeon chip. Using the 45-nanometer manufacturing process, each chip has a package size of 42.5 by 45 millimeters and fitted on Socket 1366 -- a CPU socket with a flip-chip land grid array layout -- for connection with the computer's motherboard.
Speeds
Each Intel Xeon E5503 and Intel Core i7-930 uses a point-to-point interconnect technology called Intel QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) to achieve a data transfer speed of 4.8 gigatransfers -- or 4.8 billion transfers -- per second. However, in terms of clock speed -- which is the rate at which the chip conducts its basic functions -- the i7-930 at 2.8GHz surpasses the E5503 at 2.2GHz. Moreover, it has a technology called Intel Turbo Boost, which increases it to 3.06GHz in cases when the computer system demands the absolute optimal performance.
Cache, Power Consumption and Memory
Each Intel Xeon E5503 and Intel Core i7-930 have a tiny storage unit called Intel Smart Cache for high-speed access to the computer's most frequently used data. The E5503 contains 4MB of storage space, while the i7-930 doubles that amount with 8MB. The Xeon CPU wins out on power conservation, with a maximum power consumption rating of 80 watts compared to the Core i7 chip's 130 W.
System Memory
Regarding system memory specifications, the Intel Xeon E5503 and Intel Core i7-930 is only compatible with the third generation of double data rate synchronous random access memory architecture, or DDR3 SDRAM, and three memory channels. The E5503, however accommodates up to 144GB with a 800MHz access speed, maximum memory bandwidth of 19.2GB per second and 40-bit physical address extensions. By comparison, the Core i7 chip can only handle up to 36GB of system memory and 36-bit physical address extensions, but can accommodate up to 1066MHz of access speed and 25.6GB/s bandwidth.
Technologies
As 64-bit processors, each Intel Xeon E5503 and Intel Core i7-930 CPU has virtualization technology for integrating several operating systems into a single computer system, SpeedStep for increasing performance without sacrificing energy efficiency and execute disable bit for anti-virus and malicious-code protection. The E5503 has an additional technology, demand-based switching, which optimizes CPU performance by minimizing voltage and clock speed. In addition to the aforementioned Intel Turbo Boost, the i7-930 has hyperthreading technology for making it a better multitasker.
Tags: Intel Xeon, Intel Xeon E5503, Xeon E5503, Core i7-930, Intel Core