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WASHINGTON (AFP) - Two powerful new microchips are due to hit the market this week, heralding the arrival of a new generation of computers, according to an Internet announcement.
The microchips will land on the market days apart, following a bid by two companies, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and rival Intel, to be the first to get a 1-GHz – "one gig" – PC processor out the door first.
AMD started shipping its 1-GHz Athlon processor on Monday, while Intel was expected to release its 1-GHz Pentium III today "at the latest," according to an announcement posted on Cnet, a specialized Website.
In a press release, AMD said: "Leading PC manufacturers will also make announcements on the availability of systems based on the 1 GHz AMD Athlon processor. The first commercially available systems based on the 1 GHz AMD Athlon processor will be available beginning Monday."
The 1GHz Athlon chip will be used in Compaq computers, while IBM and Hewlett Packard are likely to opt for the 1-GHz Pentium III, according to the document.
Low-end Athlon systems with monitors were anticipated to start below $2,500. The price tag for comparable Pentium III personal computers was likely to be $3,000. Higher-end models could approach $4,000, experts estimate.
However, the main issue of concern now for the computer industry is who will be able to produce the new chips in sufficient quantities, according to Cnet. Intel has been experiencing shortages of high-end Pentium IIIs since October, while AMD claimed the shortages were a little less severe.
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