Apple updates Xserve -- "most powerful Apple server ever"

Apple just updated their Xserve boxes. Starting at $2,999, Apple's calling their new Xserve the "most powerful apple server ever." The speed comes via two (max) quad-core 3.0 GHz Intel Xeon 5400 series processors. That's 8-cores pumping away inside a 1U rack server. Two PCI Express 2.0 expansion slots provide up to 4x the I/O bandwidth of the previous Xserve in support of the latest multi-channel 4Gb Fibre channel and 10Gb Ethernet cards. We're also looking at built-in accelerated graphics to drive a 23-inch Apple Cinema Display and new front facing USB 2.0 to jack into. The three drive bays can support 73GB or 300GB SAS drives or 80GB and 1TB SATAs with a RAID option for choice of RAID 0, 1, and 5. Ships starting today.