Hi Fred,
I was thinking about buying a new computer and need a little help. I thought about buying the new Intel 200mhz MMX technology when it is announced in Jan, but then I read that they will only be pushing this for a short time before they release the Klamath with MMX technology in the spring. I heard that the Klamath will be faster than the p55c but that it won't be as fast the Pentim Pro which I can buy now. The reason for this is that they are taking the 256k cache out of the multichip module and replacing it with an L1 cache of ?32-64 kb. And they are putting it on a new daughter board. So I thought that maybe I should buy a Pentium Pro now, but then I heard that Pentium Pro does not run Windows 95 - Memphis programs much faster than the current Pentium 200 mhz chip, which BTW, may not be the best purchase deal since it is only marginally faster than the Pentium P166. Also I was hoping to run some of new MMX enabled business applications on the MMX chip but for the life of me I can't figure out the 'multimedia' component to Word, Excel and Access. Maybe I should wait until the fall when the Katanai (or some such development name) will be released with MMX2 features which I was told would run faster than the current MMX extensions. Actually, I can't figure out why I should buy an MMX machine right now even though Intel is moving in this direction since Intel said that I shouldn't expect to see much of a performance increase. Perhaps I should wait until Deschutes, which is a smaller and faster version of the Klamath, but by then I was hoping that we may move into 64-bit OSes and applications, so maybe I should wait just a little longer for the Merced to be released. Unfortunately with all this confusion I'll have to wait until 1999.
HOLD IT. I think I found my answer. Cyrix p-200+, it is faster than the Pentium now. I can use it in my current motherboard. It is 1/3-1/2 the price. When Cyrix comes out with the M2 in the late winter, which is their version of a speed and technology competion to the Klamath/p55c/Pentium Pro debacle, I can upgrade for $200 and use the same motherboard I currently own.
Lets see the cost comparison:
Intel
$700-800 for a new p55c
$200 for a p55c motherboard
$700-800 for a Klamath
$200 for a Klamath compatiable motherboard
____
$1600-$1800
Cyrix
$300 for a new p-200+
$200 for a motherboard
$200 for a M2 upgrade
$ 0 no need for a new motherboard
______
$700
Let's see the performance comparison:
M2 ='s or exceeds the performance of a Klamath with 16 and 32 bit software.
Why isn't GW2000, Micron E and Dell selling Cyrix machines? There must be something wrong with Cyrix. I guess I'll buy Intel because I can count on them. Haven't they been producing all the chips that run those PC's? There must be some error in my assessment, otherwise why would everyone else be buying 'Intel Inside' when 'Cyrix Instead' is $900-$110 less for equal or better performance.
Kidding aside, how long do you think one can keep relying on this kind of analysis before the house of cards falls in?
My current position is long Cyrix, no current position, either short or long, in Intel and AMD. I will now don my hard hat for all the flak that I expect to receive for this post.:-)
Bob |
