1.7GHz P4 launch price will prompt further cuts

Intel confirms other P4 prices to fall next weekend

By Tony Smith • Get more from this author

Posted in Channel, 23rd April 2001 12:09 GMT

Free research: Application platforms, the state of play

Intel has confirmed next Sunday's price cuts following today's launch of the 1.7GHz Pentium 4 at just $352 in trays of 1000 CPUs.

On 29 April, the 1.5GHz P4 will come down from $519 to $256 (a cut of 50.7 per cent). The 1.4GHz P4 and the 1.3GHz part will both be priced at $193, down from $375 and $268, respectively, making for cuts of 48.5 per cent and 28 per cent.

Those cuts will leave the 1.4 and 1.3GHz P4s less expensive than the 1GHz Pentium III, which was cut to $225 on 15 April, the same date that the current P4 prices were set (see Intel cuts desktop, mobile CPU prices by up to 23%).

Which begs the question: why continue to offer the top-end PIII when the low-end P4 is cheaper? Intel's answer is that it's all about maintaining customer choice. The company cut P4 prices to encourage uptake of that platform, said a spokesman, not to limit choice.

And we reckon top-end PIII prices should fall when faster versions of the chip, based on the 0.13 micron Tualatin core ship in Q3. ®

Free research: Application platforms, the state of play