Intel 2.8GHz Pentium 4 to Ship Early
eWeek | at | by Mike
Intel Corp. is pushing up the release of a 2.8GHz Pentium 4 to this summer in hopes of boosting sagging sales of its flagship PC processor, sources close to the company say. In addition to raising the bar for its fastest chip from 2.53GHz to 2.8GHz, the Santa Clara, Calif., company also is considering additional price cuts this quarter in a bid to reduce its rising supply of unsold Pentium processors, sources say. In a bid to boost the attractiveness of its leading brand, Intel moved up the launch of its 2.8GHz Pentium 4 from the fourth quarter to this summer, sources said. The chip, which will be released in the coming weeks, will initially be offered at $637, with the price of its current speed king, a 2.53GHz chip, falling from $637 to $433. Intel also will release a 2.66GHz Pentium 4 priced at $562 and a 1.9GHz Celeron costing $138. Prices are based on 1,000-unit quantities.