A flurry of price cuts from the three major x.86 manufacturers this weekend will mean further reductions in PC prices. On Saturday, Cyrix will announce a range of price cuts to its range of processors, followed by more cuts from Intel on Sunday and AMD on Monday or Tuesday.

Intel is keeping tight lipped about the changes it will make to its pricing schedule but details of the Cyrix changes were revealed here several weeks ago. However, the Intel prices have been extensively leaked by OEMs and distributors, and it is difficult for the Great Satan to keep a lid on details.

Indications are that on the desktop side, the PII/450 will cost $550, the 400MHz part $380, the 350MHz PII $210, the PII/333 $175 and the PII/300 $190. The last price change means a sort of a fond farewell wave to the 300MHz part, which now retires to Intel's gulag.

The original Celeron processor, again as revealed here earlier, will disappear. AMD will respond to the price cuts on Monday.

Rana Mainee, analyst in charge of AMD's strategy in the UK, said: "We will react to any price cuts Intel makes. The key element in our pricing is that we will react in terms of our processors which have comparable performance." The market can now expect to relax a little as the next major price cuts are not likely to happen until shortly before or shortly after the Yule celebrations. ®