Pricing: Simply Expensive
The chart below shows pricing for various Intel CPUs (OEM prices for 1,000 quantities).
| CPU | Clock Speed | FSB | L2 Cache | Price (US Dollars) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P4 Processor 570 | 3.8 GHz | 200 MHz | 1 MB | 637 |
| P4 Processor 560 | 3.6 GHz | 200 MHz | 1 MB | 417 |
| P4 Processor 550 | 3.4 GHz | 200 MHz | 1 MB | 278 |
| P4 Processor 540 | 3.2 GHz | 200 MHz | 1 MB | 218 |
| P4 Processor 530 | 3.0 GHz | 200 MHz | 1 MB | 178 |
| P4 Processor 660 | 3.6 GHz | 200 MHz | 2 MB | 605 |
| P4 Processor 650 | 3.4 GHz | 200 MHz | 2 MB | 401 |
| P4 Processor 640 | 3.2 GHz | 200 MHz | 2 MB | 273 |
| P4 Processor 630 | 3.0 GHz | 200 MHz | 2 MB | 224 |
| P4 Processor Extreme Edition | 3.43 GHz | 266 MHz | 512 kB + 2 MB L3-Cache | 999 |
| P4 Processor Extreme Edition | 3.73 GHz | 266 MHz | 2 MB | 999 |
You'll see that the 600 family is considerably more expensive than the 500 models when comparing prices at equal clock speeds. Another thing becomes obvious when comparing a 500 series CPU and a 600 model running 200 MHz slower: here, the 600 series is slightly cheaper.
This strategy will certainly help Intel to introduce the 600 series. Since 2 MB L2 cache is a unique selling point, many users might be willing to live with 200 MHz less clock speed to get it.
| Processor | Price delta of 500 vs. 600 series |
|---|---|
| 3.0 GHz | 26% |
| 3.2 GHz | 25% |
| 3.4 GHz | 44% |
| 3.6 GHz | 45% |
The extra cost for 2 MB L2 cache and a comprehensive feature update is something we don't really understand. Running at the same clock speed, a 600 series processor is not noticeably faster than a 500 series one, leaving only the feature set a strong selling point.
