Intel on Tuesday introduced two 45-nanometer processors that the company claims are low-voltage chips that work as much as 25% faster than Intel's previous generation products for servers and workstations.

The quad-core Xeon L5420 and L5410 processors run at 2.5 GHz and 2.33 GHz, respectively; and use 12.5 watts per core, or a total of 50 watts. Both feature 12 MB of on-die cache and dedicated 1333 MHz front-side busses.

System vendors supporting the latest server processors include Asus, Dell, Fujitsu, Fujitsu-Siemens, Gigabyte, HP, Hitachi, IBM, Microstar, NEC, Quanta, Rackable, Supermicro, Tyan, and Verari. Intel plans to ship next quarter a dual-core low-voltage processor that will use 40 watts of power and will have a clock speed of 3 GHz, 6 MB of cache and a 1333 FSB.

Pricing for the Xeon L5420 starts at $380 in quantities of 1,000 units. The Xeon L5410 starts at $320 per 1,000 units.

Intel launched its first 45-nm chips last November. The company is currently shipping more than 35 different server, desktop and notebook processors built with the next-generation manufacturing process that shrinks the size of transistors to 45 nm. The process translates into more transistors on each processor and therefore higher performance-to-power ratios than previous generation chips.

In January, Intel introduced its first 45-nm notebook processors. The five mobile processors are available on the company's dual-core Centrino platform for notebooks, which include the Intel 965 Express chipset. Optional with the platform are a third-party decoder for better performance in playing high-definition Blu-ray content.

Intel rival Advanced Micro Devices plans to introduce its first 45-nm microprocessors this year. The introduction of new products it expected to help the company return to profitability after reporting several quarters of losses.