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Buyers of Intel notebooks, beware

If you buy in the middle of the year you'll be sorry by September

Facts and figures exclusively obtained by The Register demonstrate why buyers should be chary of spending money too soon. As reported here last week, the entire notebook market using Intel chips is going through a type of revolution and that means cautions for buyers, whether they come from the corporate market, the medium sized market, or even end users.

The figures we obtained show that Intel, which leads the market in PC notebook sales, as well as desktops and servers, is planning drastic changes to its chip technology. This June, Intel will introduce a Pentium II/mobile at a speed of 400MHz, and the chip will cost $500 for the high end .18 micron processor.

Intel has not yet succeeded in moving its entire technology to the newer process so it will sell the same thing at $475 to PC companies like Compaq, Dell, HP, smaller OEMs and the rest, including IBM. At the same time, it will cut and slash prices on existing models, meaning that the PC companies will be forced to follow suit.

Although chip rival AMD has notebook chips, and in many cases they are less expensive, Intel will have the marketing lead on the new platform. But worse is to come. Only a mere three months after a desperate price slashing exercise, the 400MHz mobile Pentium II will drop in price to $350 for the better technology and $310 for the less good technology.

As exclusively reported here, in September Intel has a whole new raft of mobile Pentiums in store. The Coppermine mobiles will come in speeds of 450MHz, 500MHz and 600MHz, and will perform and outclass Intel's mid year offerings. ®

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