HP's Compaq X PC Uses New Pentium 4

The launch of Intel's new chip was expected, the last entrant in Intel's single-core processor line. Analysts called the chip "a glimmer" of what the original Prescott could have been. Intel's new chip costs $637 in 1,000-unit lots.

Meanwhile, HP chose to update its Compaq X gaming line with the new technology, including the so-far little-used DDR-2 DRAM. Prices for the new Compaq X GX5010T start at $1,699.00 and will be available in two days' time, on Nov. 17.

Alienware added the new Pentium 4 to a small-form-factor PC, the Area-51 5300, with prices starting at $999 without monitor.

All of the new HP rigs include a Cooler Master Wave Master chassis, a 9-in-1 memory card reader, a Creative Audigy 2 ZD sound card, Serial ATA hard drives, eight USB 2.0 ports, a wired keyboard, and the choice of either the Pentium 4 processor or AMD Athlon 64 chip.

Users who select the Athlon 64 processor, however, will only be able to select an AGP 8X graphics card, as PCI Express systems are not widely available. Customers who select the new Pentium 4 option, however, will be able to choose from PCI Express-based graphics cards including the Nvidia GeForceFX 5700. The Asus P5AD2-E Deluxe motherboard includes the i925XE/ICH6R chipset, with the option to add up to 2 Gbytes of memory. TV Out and DVI functions are also included.

In other PC news, Acer America added the Ferrari 3400 notebook to its product line. The notebook uses the AMD Mobile Athlon 64 processor 3000+, and retails for prices beginning at $2,299. Acer's newest notebook includes a 15" SXGA+ (1400 x 1050) TFT display, 512MB of DDR333 SDRAM, four USB 2,0 ports, an IEEE 1394 connection and Bluetooth support, in addition to the standard connectivity options. . A 80-GB ATA/100 removable hard drive, slot-loading DVD (DVD+/-RW, -RAM) optical drive and 4-in-1-card reader is also included.