Sun Microsystems launched on Monday the first server computers based on its newest microprocessors as it tries to boost sales of energy-efficient, high-performance computers for businesses. The servers use Sun Microsystems' UltraSparc T2 chip, which Sun introduced in August as the world's fastest commodity microprocessor.

Sun says the new servers, available on Tuesday, deliver the same performance in a quarter of the space and at less than half the cost of competing systems.

The servers are Sun's latest attempt to gain share in a market in which it lags behind IBM and HP.

"Power efficiency is becoming the most attractive element of computing infrastructures," Sun Chief Executive Jonathan Schwartz said in an interview. "We have a huge shot at being the leader in power-efficient computing."

Sun in August said it also planned to sell the UltraSparc T2 chip to makers of set-top boxes, network routers and other technology gear as it expands beyond its main business of server computers and data storage machines.