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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: James Lee Baldwin who wrote (103506)	4/10/2000 7:36:00 PM
From: James Lee Baldwin	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1570548

Compaq, Gateway Compete in High-Speed Desktop Computer Market Apr. 8 (The Orlando Sentinel/KRTBN)--In the Mel Brooks Star Wars spoof, Spaceballs, a rocket accelerates from light speed to ridiculous speed. The same thing is happening in the computer world, where the megahertz battle has accelerated into gigahertz range. Computers running at 1,000 MHz -- or 1 GHz -- appeared on store shelves recently, about six months earlier than expected. Rival chipmakers Intel and Advanced Micro Devices pushed up production of 1-GHz chips as they sprinted past each other every other month in a race to produce the fastest processor. Two of the first systems to reach consumers are the Compaq Presario 5900Z and the Gateway Select 1000, both powered by AMD Athlon 1 GHz processors. Other systems, featuring Intel 1 GHz Pentium III processors, fall into the same performance and price range. The new Compaq and Gateway computers are high-end systems, loaded with memory, storage, multimedia and connectivity. They are priced at more than $3,000. Despite the hype and the hefty price tags for 1 GHz systems, consumers come out ahead because: -- The systems offer head-turning speed that appeals to gamers and megahertz junkies. -- These faster systems drive down the price of slightly slower but still-speedy computers with chips ranging from 600 MHz to 850 MHz. For example, a Gateway system with a 650 MHz Athlon chip, 128 MB memory, 10 GB hard disk and 17-inch monitor lists for $1,428, about half the cost of the 1 GHz system. For a little more performance, consider another Compaq 5900Z model equipped with a 700 MHz Athlon chip, 128 MB memory, 20 GB hard disk and 17-inch monitor for $1,771. Stepping up to a 1-GHz model brings about 33 percent more speed for about double the price. Of course, the more-expensive models include components with more oomph, such as bigger, faster hard drives and more-realistic sound systems. Both the Compaq and Gateway systems feature 19-inch monitors that offer plenty of space for multi-tasking and Web surfing. The Gateway monitor includes 12 buttons across the bottom for screen adjustments, while the Compaq unit offers video fine-tuning primarily through on-screen menus. Neither company skimps on video circuitry to drive the big monitors. Graphics cards equipped with 32 MB of memory drive the 19-inch displays at 32-bit color, the most realistic level available. A DVD drive is standard on both systems, but Compaq includes a CD-RW drive for users who want to burn their own CDs. The CD-RW drive is an option on the Gateway system. Multimedia enthusiasts won't be disappointed in the speakers on either system. Subwoofers provide low-end sound that adds realism to action games. The keyboards shipped with each system feature extra buttons for controlling CD/DVD tasks, Web access, sleep and other functions. The Compaq keyboard's extra keys are larger and easier to read, but the typing action of the Gateway keys is more solid and satisfying. The Compaq Presario 5900Z system includes a few extras not found on the Gateway: four USB ports, two of them conveniently located on the front of the unit; and two high-speed IEEE 1394 ports for digital cameras and other connections. The Gateway has no ports on the front, but there are three USB ports and two serial ports, along with a connector for a digital monitor in the rear. And Gateway has Compaq beat when it comes to the warranty. The Gateway system has a three-year parts and labor warranty, while the Compaq warranty is for one year. COMPAQ 5900Z CPU: AMD Athlon 1 GHz Memory: 256 MB Hard disk: 30 GB Monitor: 19-inch Modem: 56K DVD: 10x DVD Optical storage: CD-RW drive Graphics card: Creative Annihilator GeForce 256 Video memory: 32 MB Sound: Sound Blaster Live Speakers: Altec Lansing three-piece speaker set Software: Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2000 Warranty: One year parts and labor Price: $3,416 GATEWAY SELECT 1000 CPU: AMD Athlon 1 GHz Memory: 128 MB Hard disk: 30 GB Monitor: 19-inch Modem: 56K DVD: 8X Optical storage: Not included Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce 256 Video memory: 32 MB Sound: Sound Blaster Live Speakers: Boston Acoustics three-piece speaker set Software: Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2000 Warranty: Three years parts and labor Price: $3,028 By Chris Cobbs To see more of The Orlando Sentinel, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to orlandosentinel.com (c) 2000, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.