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Faster chip plugged into midrange UltraSparc

Upcoming "Niagara" will appear in the 1.6GHz UltraSparc IIIi.

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Stephen Shankland principal writer
Stephen Shankland has been a reporter at CNET since 1998 and writes about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D printing, USB, and new computing technology in general. He has a soft spot in his heart for standards groups and I/O interfaces. His first big scoop was about radioactive cat poop.
Expertise processors, semiconductors, web browsers, quantum computing, supercomputers, AI, 3D printing, drones, computer science, physics, programming, materials science, USB, UWB, Android, digital photography, science Credentials
  • I've been covering the technology industry for 24 years and was a science writer for five years before that. I've got deep expertise in microprocessors, digital photography, computer hardware and software, internet standards, web technology, and other dee
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Stephen Shankland

SAN JOSE, Calif.--Sun has brought a faster chip to its four-processor server, the 1.6GHz UltraSparc IIIi, the company said on Monday. Previously, the V440 systems were available only with 1.3GHz chips. At an event here, Sun Chief Executive Scott McNealy showed off its "Niagara" processor, which combines eight processing cores onto one slice of silicon and is due for release in 2006. Niagara can simultaneously run 32 instruction sequences, or threads, and consumes 56 watts of power.

In addition, Sun said it is working on a sequel called the UltraSparc IIIi+, set for release in 2005, that will include more high-speed cache memory. The company is also embracing Advanced Micro devices' Opteron processor and Fujitsu's Sparc64 family of chips.