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Technology Stocks : Disk Drive Sector Discussion Forum
WDC 139.09-0.8%Nov 21 9:30 AM EST

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To: shane forbes who wrote (3045)4/26/1998 2:35:00 AM
From: Pierre-X  Read Replies (1) of 9256
 
You said:

I think the bulk of the other (non-MPU) reductions came because of the Asian devaluation

No.

What are the main components of today's typical seg-zero PC, in order of % of total cost? (Not including the monitor, since most of them don't)
1. HDD ~$120
2. CPU ~$120
3. MB+L2 ~$80
4. OS ~$75
5. CDROM ~$55
6. Casing ~$35
7. DRAM ~$30

So, big bad numero uno is HDD. In retrospect the HDD bomb was already ticking long before the Asian forex blowup, which only served to turn the knife in the wound. During 1997 we fell from 10 cents/MB to 4 cents/MB; even further by some measures.

And, O my goodness, DRAM is seventh, after the case? How ignominious. Now, you certainly can't say the currency crisis had a whole lot to do with the DRAM implosion; like HDDs, it just added insult to injury. Ironically, the Asian bomb may help the DRAM biz in the medium term by swacking cap-ex at the Asian DRAM fabs. You know it's bad when Intel has to send first-aid money to Korea. Wonder how MU feels about THAT ... <g>

CPUs have been squeezed since Intel found out people aren't lusting after P-IIs. Surprise -- most consumer types don't do heavy high-resolution photo and video processing. Doh! And the MBS-OAS valuation engines havent been included in Quicken yet. <GGG>

Just about the only item in that list that hasn't changed much in price is the OS. Hmm. Must be because MS was able to skillfully outmaneuver all those dastardly PC OS competitors with a superior product!

Bottom line: the currency shindig didn't bring about the current state of affairs. But it DID make it worse, for some folks.

God bless,
PX
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