Pentium III prices nose-dive next week

Intel Corporation will reduce prices on its microprocessors next week by asmuch as 35%, and for the first time deep price cuts will hit thebleeding-edge Pentium III as well. The move is also designed to begin thephase-out of the Pentium II, so that Intel can focus on its newer Celeron,Pentium III, and Pentium III Xeon lines.

The price of the 500 MHz Pentium III will be cut 24% to $482 per chip, whilethe 450 MHz version will be reduced 35% to $268. 450 and 400 MHz Pentium IIchips will fall to $268 and $193, respectively. Meanwhile, the Celeron willbe cut up to 21%.

In other Intel news, expect the introduction of 550 MHz Pentium and 366 MHzmobile Celeron processors next week as well