Ahead of the forthcoming server an?nouncements from Sun Microsystems Inc and Digital Equipment Corp this week, Hewlett- Packard Co is touting new performance estimates for its 64-bit PA-8000 chip without a home. It reckons that a 180MHz PA-8000 goes to 11.8 SPECint95 and 20.2 SPECfp95 compared with a 133MHz PowerPC 620 at 5.6 SPECint95 and 5.6 SPECfp95, the 167MHz UltraSparc at 5.6 SPECint95 and 9.1 SPECfp95, the 400MHz Alpha at 11.0 SPECint95 and 14.0 SPECfp95, and the R10000 at 8.9 SPECint95 and 12.5 SPECfp95. Hewlett previously estimated PA-8000 at 8.6 SPECint95, 15 SPECfp95. It also says that all D, K and T class servers will be upgradable to the forthcom?ing PA-8000 – the company describes the PA-8000 workstations it has in the field as post-beta, pre-produc?tion units. To launch this month, they are expected to ship in May.
