Pimp your desktop with a 40-core workstation

Tampa Bay (FL) - TyanPSC announced what likely could be considered the ultimate multi-core desktop computer system that money can buy today. The new Typhoon 600 combines ten Intel quad-core processors for a maximum performance of 256 GFlops.

Multithreaded applications are still a rare site in the consumer space and still largely limited to professional multimedia and enterprise calculations. But if your software is already capable of dividing tasks into multiple threads and raw computing power on your desktop is critical, then TyanPSC could have your new dream machine.

Systems of the new Typhoon 600 series are equipped with a total of ten Intel Xeon (2.33 processors with the "Clovertown" quad-core. Tyan's specsheet for the T-650QX model indicates the use of Xeon 5310 (1.6 GHz) models, which are rated at a maximum power consumption of 80 watts each.

The base configuration of the system will come with 10 processors, 20 GB of FBDIMMs and 1.25 TB of storage space. Pricing has not been announced, but should not be much higher than that oaf similarly configured 20-core Woodcrest LV 5148 system, which currently sells for $18,500.

Tyan will also offer a T-650RX 40 GB memory and 2 TB of hard disk space. Pricing for a 20-core Woodcrest system with the same components is listed at $24,750.

Cluster workstations entered a renaissance about two years ago, when companies such as Orion Multisystems announces desktop computers with supercomputer power. Back then Orion promised to bring to market a 96-processor desktop computer that used Transmeta's now defunct Efficeon processors and promised a sustained performance of about 150 GFlops.