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From: crouse@eng.umd.edu (Gil Crouse)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
Subject: Re: How much for a 487SX?!!
Summary: Its not such a scam!
Message-ID: <1991May1.233459.1062@eng.umd.edu>
Date: 1 May 91 23:34:59 GMT
References: <13471.281da4bf@ecs.umass.edu> <1991May1.131401.10245@cbnewsh.att.com> <1991May1.214432.15762@cmcl2.nyu.edu>
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In article <1991May1.214432.15762@cmcl2.nyu.edu> tester@cmcl2.nyu.edu (L Testerville) writes:
>Maybe it's just me, but it seems like Intel is trying to pull a MAJOR
>marketing scam on us.  According to Infoworld, Intel will sell the 486SX-20
>to OEMs for $258.  Sounds good compared to AMD selling the AMD386DX-40
>for $390.  But, there's a catch.  If you ever want to get a math
>coprocessor (487SX), you need to shell out an ADDITIONAL _$799_ (which
>is a technologically brain-damaged approach: the 487SX actually "takes
>over as [both] the CPU and the math coprocessor").  Now the 486-25
>supposedly goes for $588, but for the lame user who opts for a 486SX-20;
>he/she will have to shell out a total of $1057 (OEM costs, mind you) for
>what amounts to a 486-_20_!  Mind-boggling.  Maybe Intel figures nobody
>will catch on to this plot?

The big assumption your making is that every one will want to get the
487SX at some point.  The math coprocessor market is a fraction of the
size of the market for CPUs.  For business application the coprocessor
really doesn't offer much improvement in speed.  Most (or at least
many) PC users are perfectly happy with a fast CPU and no coprocessor.
If that is the case, buying the 486SX saves the buyer $330.


Gil Crouse
crouse@eng.umd.edu