Intel implemented a new process by building the chips without fire-retardant halogen which can pollute the environment. The new Xeon 5400 processors use transistors made from a Hafnium-based, high-k metal gate formula. The older silicon dioxide gates, running between chip substrates and just a few atoms thick, leaked current causing heat gain and additional power to overcome the losses. The new gates are more than a 100 times better in voltage leak terms, which makes the chip run cooler and need less power.

There are three chips in the 5400 line: X5492 running on 150 watts at 3.4GHz; X5470 needing 120 watts and cycling at 3.5GHz; and the X5430 needing just 50 watts to cycle at 2.66GHz. Intel is also bringing out a new dual-core X5270 with an 80 watt power draw and 3.5GHz cycle rate.

The X5470 has recorded a record Spec _rate 2006 score of 150.

Intel reckons workstation, high-performance, blade and mainstream servers will use these chips, made by Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, Fujitsu-Siemens, Gigabyte, HP, IBM, Microstar, NEC, Quanta, Rackable Systems, Sun Microsystems, Supermicro, Tyan and Verari Systems. The new 5400 series processors are available now, while the X5270 will be available this fall.