HP trims desktop prices
HP lowers prices on several corporate models, as the company looks to maintain the PC sales momentum generated earlier in the first quarter.
In the first quarter of 1998, HP's PC sales grew by 69 percent over the same time period a year ago, according to International Data Corporation figures. The company is expected to soon pass Packard Bell to become the industry's fifth-largest vendor, and at this growth rate, HP would be able to achieve its stated goal of becoming one of the top three desktop makers by 2000.
One Brio and two Vectra systems were modestly reduced, while a second Brio desktop was chopped by 13 percent. All four models are targeted at business customers.
At the low end, a Brio with a 266-MHz Celeron chip, 32MB of memory, a 2.1GB hard drive, and a CD-ROM fell to $899 from $949. HP's lowest-cost Brio, a 200-MHz Pentium MMX model which debuted in January, goes for $849.
The biggest price cut comes on a Brio incorporating a 266-MHz Pentium II, 32MB of memory, and a 8GB hard drive. The system fell 13 percent from $1,585 to $1,379.
A Vectra with a 266-MHz Pentium II chip dropped to $1, 279 from $1,360, while a 350-MHz Pentium II system was reduced to $1,869, down from $1,967. Both systems come with Windows NT and 10/100 network cards.