Server specialist SeaMicro has announced a version of its Atom-based server system based on Intel's (NASDAQ: INTC) new 64-bit Atom N570 dual-core processor. The SeaMicro SM10000-64 server crams 256 cores running at 1.66GHz into a 10U enclosure to offer 512 cores of computing power. SeaMicro says the additional cores allow the company to use fewer processors this time round--the earlier 32-bit version of the SM10000 has 512 processor chips.

As reported by eWeek, the new system delivers better web-serving capabilities when pitted against 45 conventional "best-in-class dual socket quad core servers" with just one quarter the power consumption of the latter. The key attraction however, is how SeaMicro's solution can be deployed without any modification on the software end. In addition, the move to 64-bit processors also doubles accessible RAM to 4GB.

Intel emphasized that the N570 processor is offered for sale to any server maker, though Jason Waxman, general manager of Intel's data center group affirmed to the Wall Street Journal that SeaMicro influenced the design of the chip. For now, the new SM10000-64 is available in the United States and "some international locations" at a starting price of $148,000.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at eWeek
- check out this article at Businessweek
- check out this article at Wall Street Journal

Related Articles:
SeaMicro unveils 512-way Atom-based server for cloud computing 
Microsoft wants 16-core Atom for data center use 
New Atom processors for home and business appliances 
Intel will launch dual-core Atom processor this quarter