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From: ganter@urz.unibas.ch
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc
Subject: Re: $2100 486-25?
Message-ID: <1991Jan13.214159.1306@urz.unibas.ch>
Date: 13 Jan 91 20:41:59 GMT
References: <1991Jan8.060333.8002@grape.ecs.clarkson.edu>
Organization: University of Basel, Switzerland
Lines: 60

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

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