Intel Xeon E5405 BX80574E5405 User Manual

Product codes
BX80574E5405
Page of 100
Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® Processor 5400 Series TMDG
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Thermal/Mechanical Reference Design
The Thermal Profile A is based on Intel’s 2U+ air cooling solution. Designing to Thermal 
Profile A ensures that no measurable performance loss due to Thermal Control Circuit 
(TCC) activation is observed in the processor. It is expected that TCC would only be 
activated for very brief periods of time when running a worst-case real world 
application in a worst-case thermal condition. These brief instances of TCC activation 
are not expected to impact the performance of the processor. A worst case real world 
application is defined as a commercially available, useful application which dissipates a 
power equal to, or above, the TDP for a thermally relevant timeframe. One example of 
a worst-case thermal condition is when a processor local ambient temperature is at or 
above 42.8°C for Quad-Core Intel® Xeon® Processor X5400 Series Thermal Profile A. 
Thermal Profile B supports volumetrically constrained platforms (i.e. 1U, blades, etc.), 
and is based on Intel’s 1U air cooling solution. Because of the reduced capability 
represented by such thermal solutions, designing to Thermal Profile B results in an 
increased probability of TCC activation and an associated measurable performance loss. 
Measurable performance loss is defined to be any degradation in the processor’s 
performance greater than 1.5%. The 1.5% number is chosen as the baseline since the 
run-to-run variation in a given performance benchmark is typically between 1 and 2%. 
Although designing to Thermal Profile B results in increased T
CASE
 temperatures 
compared to Thermal Profile A at a given power level, both of these Thermal Profiles 
ensure that Intel’s long-term processor reliability requirements are satisfied. In other 
words, designing to Thermal Profile B does not impose any additional risk to Intel’s 
long-term reliability requirements. Thermal solutions that exceed Thermal Profile B 
specification are considered incompliant and will adversely affect the long-term 
reliability of the processor. 
Figure 2-10. Dual Thermal Profile Diagram
T
case_max_A
T
case_max_B
TDP
Power
Thermal Profile A
Thermal Profile B
T
case_max_A
T
case_max_B
TDP
Power
Thermal Profile A
Thermal Profile B