VOGONS


First post, by appiah4

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I am in the process of building a budget 1997 system, and the CPU I was hoping to use (mII 233gp) has either died or is not working in the motherboard I dedicated to the task..

I am trying to choose between a few alternative processors but I can't seem to find reliable information on how much they cost in early 1997 and late 1997.

I am specifically trying to find price information on the following:

AMD K5-PR166
AMD K6-200
AMD K6-233
Cyrix 6x86MX-200
Cyrix 6x86MX-233
Pentium MMX 166
Pentium MMX 200

Anyone can help?

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 2 of 16, by appiah4

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Intel486dx33 wrote on 2020-02-01, 13:37:

Those AMD and Cyrix CPU’s where inexpensive at under $50
The Intel CPU’s where the expensive ones at about $100

Yes but what was the divide between an MMX166 and an MMX200? The former is the most common Socke 7 CPU I see around whereas the former is a lot less common, hinting at a significant pricing gap, but I can't know for sure if this was only initially or sustained through 1997.

Also, how did K5 pricing fare after K6 introduction?

Lots of questions I need answered but I can't seem to find any hardware retailer price lists from the time..

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 3 of 16, by cyclone3d

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The Google library should have some computer magazines from that period.

Scroll up one page for OEM pricing of all in question except for the K5 in quatities of 1,000 as of 8/1/1997
https://books.google.com/books?id=rm500_oURSc … 20pr166&f=false

Release price of K5 CPUs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_K5_microprocessors

June 1997 prices:
https://books.google.com/books?id=AnmwQa8W3JU … %201997&f=false

Last edited by cyclone3d on 2020-02-01, 16:09. Edited 2 times in total.

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Reply 4 of 16, by Horun

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Look thru this list: https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=pc+magazine+1997
I have some old computer magazines in my storage but none from 1997 (only two 1996 and then 1998 and up), saved them for the articles.
added: the Wayback machine may also help, search for www.cdw.com, www.tigerdirect.com both go back to 1996. Newegg only back to 2001

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 6 of 16, by douglar

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cyclone3d wrote on 2020-02-01, 15:12:

Ahh, the grey market CPUs from 1/16th page ads in the backs of magazines. The good old days.
You never knew if you had the best prices until you check at least 5 vendors.
And if the Ad was in color, the vendor obviously had too high of a mark up.

For example, these CPU's must be at least 5% over priced because it was a color add from March 1997--
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Reply 7 of 16, by Horun

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douglar wrote on 2020-02-01, 16:30:
For example, these CPU's must be at least 5% over priced because it was a color add from March 1997-- CPU.png […]
Show full quote

For example, these CPU's must be at least 5% over priced because it was a color add from March 1997--
CPU.png

Yes the P.Pro's are way overpriced in that advert. I remember they were about $650 locally in late 1996 (bought one then).
Sept 1996 article about Intel and cpu prices: https://books.google.com/books?id=2rK8GDDQbTY … history&f=false

Hate posting a reply and then have to edit it because it made no sense 😁 First computer was an IBM 3270 workstation with CGA monitor. Stuff: https://archive.org/details/@horun

Reply 8 of 16, by Intel486dx33

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appiah4 wrote on 2020-02-01, 14:02:
Yes but what was the divide between an MMX166 and an MMX200? The former is the most common Socke 7 CPU I see around whereas the […]
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Intel486dx33 wrote on 2020-02-01, 13:37:

Those AMD and Cyrix CPU’s where inexpensive at under $50
The Intel CPU’s where the expensive ones at about $100

Yes but what was the divide between an MMX166 and an MMX200? The former is the most common Socke 7 CPU I see around whereas the former is a lot less common, hinting at a significant pricing gap, but I can't know for sure if this was only initially or sustained through 1997.

Also, how did K5 pricing fare after K6 introduction?

Lots of questions I need answered but I can't seem to find any hardware retailer price lists from the time..

Well, i know I initially purchased the k5 and k6 because they were inexpensive. They must have been about $35 to $50
The intel chips where more expensive. the p-166 was about $100 and p-200 about $150

I ended up switch to intel CPU’s exclusively because i never had any luck setting up the amd CPU’s.
But i must have been doing it wrong because they work fine today.
I must have been setting up the motherboards wrong.

Reply 9 of 16, by appiah4

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OK so thanks for the heads ups.. I've gone ahead and found the prices from the last two months of the year and here is what I came up with:

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Apparently the normal P166 was a hell of a price/performance CPU, unless my K6 prices are somehow wacky (they do look a tad high to me..)

The MMX 166 was also a very good buy - no wonder they are everywhere even today.

I'm really intrigued by how good the K5 looks as well, one would think they would have sold better, considering.. I guess the K6 arrived too soon and they never had a window to be on market?

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 10 of 16, by Anonymous Coward

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In 1997 the price of these chips varied a lot depending on the month. What started out as expensive in January would have ended up in the bargain bin by December.

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Reply 11 of 16, by appiah4

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Anonymous Coward wrote on 2020-02-02, 02:22:

In 1997 the price of these chips varied a lot depending on the month. What started out as expensive in January would have ended up in the bargain bin by December.

Indeed, some chips with Jan 97 launch dates eere discounted by 60%+ by Dec in some cases!

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 12 of 16, by Munx

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Here you go

Early 1997:
https://web.archive.org/web/19970213100526/ht … /abcatg/CPU.HTM

Late 1997:
https://web.archive.org/web/19971210211318/ht … /abcatg/cpu.htm

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Reply 13 of 16, by Warlord

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honestly bro, none of those chips are expensive, compared to todays cpu prices. Best budget chip now Ryzen 5 3600 is around 180 and Intel competitive chip is of course higher priced. Nothing is changed here.

What is considered to be a NEW decent computer is around $800 dollars less if you get open box or new used. Same then as it is now. You would be paying more for name brand PC than building it back then too same as now. You either buy a Piece of shit or get ripped off and pay too much.

Reply 15 of 16, by appiah4

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Warlord wrote on 2020-02-02, 07:55:

honestly bro, none of those chips are expensive, compared to todays cpu prices. Best budget chip now Ryzen 5 3600 is around 180 and Intel competitive chip is of course higher priced. Nothing is changed here.

What is considered to be a NEW decent computer is around $800 dollars less if you get open box or new used. Same then as it is now. You would be paying more for name brand PC than building it back then too same as now. You either buy a Piece of shit or get ripped off and pay too much.

Your brain is not thinking inflation adjusted for 23 years.

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.

Reply 16 of 16, by appiah4

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Munx wrote on 2020-02-02, 07:49:
Here you go […]
Show full quote

Here you go

Early 1997:
https://web.archive.org/web/19970213100526/ht … /abcatg/CPU.HTM

Late 1997:
https://web.archive.org/web/19971210211318/ht … /abcatg/cpu.htm

Thanks!!!

Retronautics: A digital gallery of my retro computers, hardware and projects.