Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) earlier this week confirmed that the upcoming Westmere-EX server processor will be coming in a 10-core single-die format. No details of its eventual clock speeds or performance characteristics were revealed, available information pointed to enhancements that were made to improve server performance.

While emphasizing that the processor is not yet available, the lead microarchitect for the Westmere-EX, Intel engineer Dheemanth Nagaraj confirmed that the next server processor from Intel will come with 10 cores, or process up to 20 threads. Six new instructions were added for AES cryptographic acceleration, while enhancements range from better virtualization support such as improved VM switch latency and the incorporation of real mode memory addressing.

So why opt for 10 cores when the competitor is creating 12-core processors? Nagaraj refused to be drawn into speculation, but noted that going with 10 gave Intel the "sweet spot for performance and time-to-market."

For more on this story:
- check out the article at The Register
- check out the article at Toms Hardware

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