Notebook prices fall with chip cuts
Two notebook makers discount models as Intel marks down its mobile Pentium MMX and Pentium II chips.
While Acer and WinBook lowered prices on existing models, Intel
Mobile Pentium and Pentium II chips | ||
Processor | Old price | New price |
266-MHz Pentium II | $696 | $637 |
233-MHz Pentium II | $466 | $391 |
266-MHz Pentium MMX | $466 | $348 |
233-MHz Pentium MMX | $359 | $213 |
200-MHz Pentium MMX | $230 | $134 |
Source: Intel |
Together, the price actions herald a new round of falling notebook prices, as portables are being offered at steep discounts to make way for systems using the newer mobile Pentium II chip.
The Pentium MMX line was most heavily discounted. Intel reduced the cost of a 233-MHz Pentium MMX 41 percent to $213 from $359, while the 200-MHz version plummeted 42 percent to $134 from $230.
The 266-MHz Pentium MMX chip was lowered 25 percent to $348 from $466. All prices are in quantities of 1,000.
Meanwhile, the price of the 266-MHZ Pentium II fell to $637 from $696, while the 233-MHz version drops to $391 from $466.
WinBook has released a 233-MHz notebook priced at $1,199. The WinBook XL, available on the company's Web site, comes with a 233-MHz AMD K6 processor and a 1.6GB hard drive. The WinBook XL with an internal 56-kbps modem is $1,359.
Earlier this month, Hewlett-Packard also cut prices on notebook models using the MMX chip, to make room for Pentium II models announced yesterday.
Intel is an investor in CNET: The Computer Network.