Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Intel Corporation (INTC) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: rudedog who wrote (58965)	6/27/1998 1:44:00 PM
From: Paul Engel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 186894

rudedog - Re: "Do you have an estimate for the competitive pricing for Alpha parts vs. Xeon? Here is one: "Pricing on the 21264 was not available, but analysts expect the chip to cost about $3,000, the typical price for new Alphas. " Don't forget - this $3000 does not include any L2 cache ! The complete reference is below. Paul {===============================} www8.zdnet.com:80/pcweek/news/0126/30aalph.html Digital to roll out 600MHz Alpha By Lisa DiCarlo, PC Week Online 01.30.98 9:40 am ET Against the backdrop of its merger with Compaq Computer Corp., Digital Equipment Corp. next week will announce its most advanced Alpha microprocessor to date. The 21264 chip, which will ship next quarter, will initially feature a 600MHz clock speed, sources said. It will be followed by 700MHz and higher speeds by early 1999. Digital's Semiconductor Division, in Hudson, Mass., also will offer in 1999 a 1GHz version of the 21264, built on a 0.18-micron manufacturing process, sources said. Digital may deliver a lower-cost version of the 21264 in that time frame as well, following a strategy similar to the one followed with the 21164PC, a lower-cost version of the existing 21164 and geared for $2,500 systems. Pricing on the 21264 was not available, but analysts expect the chip to cost about $3,000, the typical price for new Alphas. Although it will be at least six months late when it hits the market, the 21264 has already won rave reviews from technical journals. The complex processor features advanced branch prediction and data path design, and can process up to 80 instructions simultaneously, twice that of any Intel Corp. processor. Samsung Semiconductor Inc., Digital's manufacturing partner, will also produce the chip. Officials said Macintosh cloner Mactell Corp., Network Appliance Inc. and Carrera Computers Inc. will develop 21264-based systems. Compaq, which this week agreed to a $9.6 billion merger with Digital, has not offered any information whether it will carry Alpha-based products under its own label, or continue to sell Digital's Alpha products as a subbrand. Regardless, most analysts agree that Compaq and its customers would benefit from maintaining Alpha-based systems because they offer a higher performance option than Intel-based systems. Observers expect Compaq/Digital to continue Alpha development at least until Intel's 64-bit chip Merced ships in late 1999. But after that, many believe, Alpha's future is cloudy. An interesting sidelight to the Compaq/Digital merger is possible fallout on Advanced Micro Devices Inc., according to one analyst who requested anonymity. AMD, of Sunnyvale, Calif. announced in October that it would license the Alpha 21264 bus interface for its K7 processor, which is due in 1999. AMD is using the Alpha interface because, unlike previous processor generations, Intel decided not to license its P6 interface. But uncertainly over Compaq's commitment to Alpha could affect AMD's plans, the analyst said.