|
Pricey Pentium II's (6/14/98)
|
 
|
| | |
Intel's got some new processors coming out soon, but don't expect them to show up in systems that compete directly with Apple's PowerMacs. The new "Xeon" class Pentium II's cost a pricy $1124 each when purchased in volume-- and that's just the low-end model, which is 400 MHz with 512 KB of cache. For a Xeon running at the same speed but with a full 1 MB of cache, the price jumps to $2836; and for the top-of-the-line 400 MHz Xeon with 2MB of cache, manufacturers can expect to pay a whopping $4489. Remember, that's not the end-user price of the system, but rather just the price of the chip to put in the system. The machines with Xeons at their core will apparently be high-end servers costing $10,000 to $25,000 or more, according to a CNET report. Get out that platinum card...
In contrast, MacCentral points out that PowerPC's are much cheaper. The PowerPC 750 (the chip currently found in the whole line of Power Macintosh G3's and PowerBook G3's) reportedly costs about $495, though the speed available at that price isn't mentioned. Still, since a 233 MHz 750 reportedly beats out an existing 400 MHz Pentium II in BYTE's benchmark tests, it sounds like Apple's G3 servers (which sell for only a few grand) might be able to give the Xeon servers a run for their money.
So, as Intel pumps up the prices on their high-end chips to try to boost their sagging bottom line, it appears that the PowerPC price/performance advantage may increase. Kinda weird to think that, finally, Mac servers may cost significantly less than similarly-equipped PC ones. What'll they think of next...
| |
| |
 |
SceneLink (775)
|  |
 |
|
And Now For A Word From Our Sponsors |
| | | |
|
| |
|
 | | The above scene was taken from the 6/14/98 episode: June 14, 1998: Rockin' Ralph Nader just won't let up on Microsoft; now he wants the government to get them to stop forcing PC manufacturers to preinstall Windows on every machine they ship. Meanwhile, Word 98 anomalies continue to surface, and Intel's new processor carries a price tag worthy of the Apple of old...
Other scenes from that episode: 773: Still On Their Backs (6/14/98) UCLA undergrads aren't the only ones who notice that you can't buy a PC without Windows. Consumer watchdog Ralph Nader, who's long been a critic of Microsoft's anticompetitive practices, recently sent a letter to the Department of Justice requesting that they prevent the Redmond giant from requiring their Windows licensees from shipping Windows on every system they sell, whether the customer wants it or not... 774: Voices Carry (6/14/98) The more we learn about Word 98, the more we're glad we still use Nisus Writer instead. First, there was that fun little bug that could potentially trash your System Folder when you tried to uninstall the application...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
|
|
