millernw@clutx.clarkson.edu (Neal Miller) (01/08/91)
Well, I was just flipping through the Jan'91 issue of _Computer
Shopper_, and I think I found a record-breaker on page 466. Get this:
286-12MHz $399
386SX - 16MHz $649
386-25MHz $899
386-33MHz $1099
486-25Mhz $2099 (!)
I don't think these PCs come with any frills, like monitors, but
a 486-25 for two thou?!? Am I being either cynical or suspicious about
these prices?
For the do-it-yourself person, I see a 386-33 motherboard for under
$400. In contrast on another page, I see a solo 486-25 motherboard for $2495
and a 386-33 motherboard for $1495. Any comments?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Neal Miller | "Why not go mad?" | millernw@clutx.clarkson.edu
Clarkson University | - Ford Prefect | millernw@clutx.bitnet
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ong@d.cs.okstate.edu (ONG ENG TENG) (01/08/91)
From article <1991Jan8.060333.8002@grape.ecs.clarkson.edu>, by millernw@clutx.clarkson.edu (Neal Miller): > [deleted] > For the do-it-yourself person, I see a 386-33 motherboard for under > $400. In contrast on another page, I see a solo 486-25 motherboard for $2495 > and a 386-33 motherboard for $1495. Any comments? 386-33 motherboard for $400? Seems you might be getting a motherboard with all necessary components except the CPU, which might cost you another $500? E. Teng Ong (ong@d.cs.okstate.edu)
smsmith@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Stephen M. Smith) (01/09/91)
millernw@clutx.clarkson.edu (Neal Miller) writes: > >486-25Mhz $2099 (!) > > I don't think these PCs come with any frills, like monitors, but >a 486-25 for two thou?!? Am I being either cynical or suspicious about >these prices? Yeah, it's kind of neat, huh? --except for those of you who bought your screaming 486 two months ago! Ha! Ha! Ha! (sinister laugh) Here's the last 3 months of ads for Gateway... NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY 486-25 486-25 486-25 4 MEG RAM 8 MEG RAM 8 MEG RAM both size floppies both size floppies both size floppies 150 MEG HD 200 MEG HD 200 MEG HD SVGA (512k) SVGA (1 MEG) SVGA (1 MEG) (other stuff) (other stuff) (other stuff) PRICE: $5295 PRICE: $4395 PRICE: $3995 Well, they always say "if in doubt, wait a few more months!" S. "Stevie" Smith \ + / <smsmith@hpuxa. \+++++/ " #*&<-[89s]*(k#$@-_=//a2$]'+=.(2_&*%>,,@ ircc.ohio-state. \ + / {7%*@,..":27g)-=,#*:.#,/6&1*.4-,l@#9:-) " edu> \ + / BTW, WYSInaWYG \ + / --witty.saying.ARC
kaleb@thyme.jpl.nasa.gov (Kaleb Keithley) (01/09/91)
In article <1991Jan8.060333.8002@grape.ecs.clarkson.edu> millernw@clutx.clarkson.edu (Neal Miller) writes: > >286-12MHz $399 >386SX - 16MHz $649 >386-25MHz $899 >386-33MHz $1099 >486-25Mhz $2099 (!) > > I don't think these PCs come with any frills, like monitors, but >a 486-25 for two thou?!? Am I being either cynical or suspicious about >these prices? > > For the do-it-yourself person, I see a 386-33 motherboard for under >$400. In contrast on another page, I see a solo 486-25 motherboard for $2495 >and a 386-33 motherboard for $1495. Any comments? > Doesn't seem unreasonable to me.... I paid US$1100 for my 486-25 MB. Add case, power supply, HDFD controller, Hercules, Floppy and a cheapy HD. -- Kaleb Keithley Jet Propulsion Labs kaleb@thyme.jpl.nasa.gov Offensive quote coming soon to a .signature file near you.
plim@hpsgwp.sgp.hp.com (Peter Lim) (01/09/91)
/ millernw@clutx.clarkson.edu (Neal Miller) / 2:03 pm Jan 8, 1991 / writes: > For the do-it-yourself person, I see a 386-33 motherboard for under > $400. In contrast on another page, I see a solo 486-25 motherboard for $2495 > and a 386-33 motherboard for $1495. Any comments? > The difference I think might be that one board comes with the CPU and the other comes only with the socket. Regards, . .. ... .- -> -->## Life is fast enough as it is ........ Peter Lim. ## .... DON'T PUSH IT !! >>>-------, ########################################### : E-mail: plim@hpsgwg.HP.COM Snail-mail: Hewlett Packard Singapore, : Tel: (065)-279-2289 (ICDS, ICS) | Telnet: 520-2289 1150 Depot Road, __\@/__ Singapore 0410. SPLAT ! #include <standard_disclaimer.hpp>
ganter@urz.unibas.ch (01/14/91)
In article <1991Jan8.060333.8002@grape.ecs.clarkson.edu>, millernw@clutx.clarkson.edu (Neal Miller) writes: > > Well, I was just flipping through the Jan'91 issue of _Computer > Shopper_, and I think I found a record-breaker on page 466. Get this: > > 286-12MHz $399 > 386SX - 16MHz $649 > 386-25MHz $899 > 386-33MHz $1099 > 486-25Mhz $2099 (!) > > a 486-25 for two thou?!? > > For the do-it-yourself person, I see a 386-33 motherboard for under > $400. In contrast on another page, I see a solo 486-25 motherboard for $2495 > and a 386-33 motherboard for $1495. Any comments? > Ok all you 'low price hunter' folks, I think, there should be another view of this 'low price market', too. Take the January 1991 issue of PC Magazine and read on page 237ff: 386's are not 386's ! And logically 486's are not 486's !. Depending on the quality of the mainboard used, there are big differences in the power of these machines. Examples: A 486 used on a ISA-board with a maximum of 8M of RAM on board is just kidding, it's like driving a Porsche on the Alaska-highway. If you really need the power of a 486, you need EISA, too (a computer doesn't consist of a CPU only). Cache Controllers often speed down the maximum possible speed of the CPU. Why ? Just bad layout, too much noise, bad isolated layers etc. BIOS used. Often I read, that some BIOSes, as good they may be for slower machines, have problems with the high speed of the 33MHz 386 and 25/33MHz 486. Ok, just exchange it, a job making absolutely noooo problem to beginners... ISA Bus. To remember, the ISA Bus is 16 bit wide, the 386/486 are 32 bitters. If you have at least one 32 bit special slot, that's ok to expand memory, but if you need high disk transfer speed, the ISA bus starts boiling. (And you, too). So, just to end that flame, if you want to play the best in town, this $2000 mainboard is the right toy for you. If you really need the power of a 486, don't save money on the wrong place, you will be frustrated later. If you don't need the speed, buy a 386 with at least one 32 bit slot (you never have enough memory). It's fast enough for most users. You only write letters to your girlfriend ? Buy a XT for $50 and spend the money for her. Robert ganter@urz.unibas.ch University of Basel Switzerland flames to dev/null
flint@gistdev.gist.com (Flint Pellett) (01/15/91)
ganter@urz.unibas.ch writes: >In article <1991Jan8.060333.8002@grape.ecs.clarkson.edu>, millernw@clutx.clarkson.edu (Neal Miller) writes: >> >> Well, I was just flipping through the Jan'91 issue of _Computer >> Shopper_, and I think I found a record-breaker on page 466. Get this: >A 486 used on a ISA-board with a maximum of 8M of RAM on board is just kidding, >it's like driving a Porsche on the Alaska-highway. >If you really need the power of a 486, you need EISA, too (a computer doesn't >consist of a CPU only). >ganter@urz.unibas.ch You don't need an EISA bus to take advantage of a 486's power, any more than you have to have 4 wheel drive to get better acceleration with a V-8 engine in your car, if where you are driving is on pavement. It is the applications you are going to use that determine what is best: If the applications you run are CPU intensive, the bus doesn't matter much. Even if they are disk I/O intensive, the quality of your disk controller is going to make a lot more difference than the bus does. If your applications are doing a lot of display I/O, then an EISA bus with an EISA video controller may be the way to go. -- Flint Pellett, Global Information Systems Technology, Inc. 1800 Woodfield Drive, Savoy, IL 61874 (217) 352-1165 uunet!gistdev!flint or flint@gistdev.gist.com