Intel launches fastest Pentium Yet
04/25/2001 2:34:23 AM MDT Albuquerque, Nm
By Dustin D. Brand; Owner AMO
The Pentium 4 is now 1.7 GigaHertz, and a whole lot cheaper than expected.
On Monday, Intel launched it's fastest Pentium 4 processor, the 1.7GHz. In mass quantities of 1,000, the new chip sells for $352, a huge price drop further reflecting Intel's desire to spark start the industry and drive home profits.
With Intel's profit down 64% this last quarter, and their repeated price drops this year, 3 now in total, Intel is certainly moving aggressively toward a cheaper price structure for their mainstream chips.
With the 1.5 GHz Intel Pentium 4 priced at $637 in March, another round of Intel Price cuts will hit this Sunday, April 29, bringing this processor to $256. The other price reductions that will take effect April 29, 1.4GHz and 1.3GHz Pentium 4's, which are priced today at $375 and $268, respectively, will both fall to $193, Intel said. Putting the same price tag on the two slower Pentium 4s is Intel's way of killing the slower chip and keeping its chip lineup lean.
1 thing is for certain this Holiday Season, Intel is going to be the leader in the PC Sales with their Pentium chips, vs AMD. Intel even has a deal with Microsoft and MS's upcoming Fall 2001 launch of their XBOX which will have the fastest 733Mhz Pentium III in each and every unit.
With all of the recent Intel Price reductions, it appears AMD will also have to do the same. Price point has always been AMD's best weapon against Intel, and now Intel is eliminating that, with price, and power which their chips have always offered.
Intel has been enjoying "good yields" with the Pentium 4, which means its manufacturing process is doing a good job of producing the chips. The company is making Pentium 4s at five fabrication plants today, and plans to increase that number to seven by year's end, Intel said.
Also, given the current life cycle on PC's, which is approximately 3 years, this Holiday season is a great time to buy a new PC with the last being the Pre Year 2000 mass upgrades.
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