What's the big deal about Athlon64 pricing?

I mean, I expected the A64 3200+ to be $500+ but recent reports are that it's only $400+. What's the big deal with this? That's the same price as current 3200+ Barton's but with the A64 you'll get much better performance even in 32-bit, SSE2, and of course 64-bit computing. The AthlonFX is a little over the top, but it seems to me that AMD is really just using that chip to compete directly with Intel for performance and it appears that they don't think a lot of FX chips will be sold anyway. I just have to wonder what people were expecting.

why are you complaining?

I'm not complaining about the prices, I'm wondering why people are making a big deal about the prices being too high when they won't be any more expensive than the current Barton line.

Well, since most of us a bargain shoppers in the XP/Barton line, the $400 price tag is still a little steep. If you look around, most of us dont get more than the 2500+, for price reasons...but there are the exceptions that will spring for the 3200+, and do not care about the price. Also, apparently, you will have to get new registered DDR to go with the A64, jacking your spending up a little more...that means new board, new $400 CPU, and new registered DDR400. Seems like a little too much money for me right now.

altec said:

Well, since most of us a bargain shoppers in the XP/Barton line, the $400 price tag is still a little steep. If you look around, most of us dont get more than the 2500+, for price reasons...but there are the exceptions that will spring for the 3200+, and do not care about the price. Also, apparently, you will have to get new registered DDR to go with the A64, jacking your spending up a little more...that means new board, new $400 CPU, and new registered DDR400. Seems like a little too much money for me right now.

Click to expand...

I thought the registered RAM was suppose to be only for the FX?

I know the $400 price tag is too steep for most around here, but I'm looking at the future. I don't expect many to adopt the new chip early on, but I think many are going to take a serious look at the chip when higher speeds come out(which shouldn't be too long because it appears AMD isn't having any yield problems at this point). I'm not looking at the 3200+ when it's the forefront of technology, but rather when higher models come out and the 3200+ becomes the budget chip and the new high end models are the ones costing $400.

With the new motherboard, well, I guess that just comes with adopting new technology, no real way around that.

I would expect a price drop a sort while after release though...

Or when XP3400+ hits.

I can see XP3400+ out in October at ~$400 and the XP3200+ at $250 or so.

I agree that its crazy for people to expect the 64 to debut for any less than it is. AMD may have made a name for itself with its good prices but their debut prices have never been rock bottom cheap, and they shouldn't have to be. Prices will certainly fall but how far can you expect prices to drop when there will only 1 speed chip available at launch?

They will drop sooner or later, and once newer steppings with improved SOI arrive, well have overclocking chips on our hands.... Hopefully.

Well if you look at what the intel camp is *******g about now, they are saying, "0h 1 c4n g3t a 2.4c f0r 17S and 0v3rcl0ckz0rz 1t t0 3.243233ghz tehehe ^_^" When if you look at the benchmarks coming out the 2.0ghz A64 is blowing away the 3.2 model out there right now which is about the same price as the initial A64. I don't see a big problem with it and if people want the newest greatest thing out they will be dishing out the bucks and make thier wallet thin doing so.

^^^^

there will always be that croud who want the latest and greatest - they could likely sell the chip for $300 if they wanted but fact is they know even if the chip was @ $500 - there would be people who would buy it anyways! Simply to say they have the latest and greatest!