Intel starts shipping Pentium IIIs

By Staff -- Purchasing, 3/25/1999

Intel says the new chip will enhance the Internet experience for PC users. It has 70 new instructions for multimedia processing and video streaming. It will also improve voice recognition and will be used in computers costing $2,000 and less as well as higher-end PCs.

The chip will be priced at about the same level as higher-end Pentium IIs in an effort to move it quickly into the PC mainstream. By Christmas, most PCs shipped will be equipped with a Pentium III processor.

Intel is shipping 450-MHz and 500-MHz versions of the chip and will ship a 550-MHz device in the second quarter.