Intel’s processors, hard drives, and RAM have all seen price reductions ranging from 10% to 20%. The PC market continues to perform well, similar to the sales in February, but there are currently many project contracts being implemented. It is expected that strong purchasing activity will last a few more weeks before gradually slowing down in April.
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Intense competition has affected the prices of various computer components. Photo: Anh Tuan |
Intel has surprisingly announced significant and rather abrupt price cuts for its CPU products. Within just 10 days, the prices of Pentium chips have dropped by up to 10%, while the Celeron series has seen reductions of up to 20%. Although Intel has not disclosed the reasons for these price decreases, the rapid growth of AMD’s market share globally in recent times has led many to speculate that this leading chip manufacturer is initiating a competitive strategy against its primary rival.
Currently, the price of the Intel Celeron 2.13 GHz is $42, the Celeron 2.4 GHz is priced at $50, the Pentium IV 2.4 GHz is at $105, and the Pentium IV 2.8 GHz costs around $134.
In Vietnam, at the end of last year, AMD’s market share was at 3%. This figure has now risen to 8-9%. Information from computer companies indicates that in June of this year, AMD will officially launch in Vietnam by opening a representative office, making it difficult to predict how the processor market will change.
The current prices for some AMD chips are as follows: Sempron 2600+ 128 K at $74, and Athlon 64 3000+ 512 K at $130.
Intense competition among hard drive products and their types (official branded and non-branded) has also led to significant price fluctuations for HDD components. Notably, the price of 80 GB hard drives, which are gradually replacing the older 40 GB drives, has dropped by up to 15%. Meanwhile, the price of 40 GB drives has decreased by about 5%. During a 7-day period (from March 5 to March 12), the price of Samsung 40 GB ATA HDD with 2 MB cache, supplied by distributor FPT, fell from $48.5 to $40, before rising again to $43.
The current price for Maxtor 40 GB Serial ATA is $47, and the Seagate Barracuda 40 GB Serial ATA II is priced at $54.
Low-cost RAM types such as AM1, VDATA, and Elixir have decreased in price by 10%, averaging a $2 drop for each 256 MB stick.
After a long period of price stability, USB devices have also dropped in price by 15% to 20%, due to a decrease in the cost of the flash components used in these devices. USB MP3 players have also seen a price reduction, although at a slower rate of around 10%. Tran Anh Computer Company forecasts that prices will continue to decrease as businesses import new stock, considering that globally, USB MP3 device prices have dropped significantly and there is still unsold old stock in the domestic market.
Despite some major fluctuations in essential devices, desktop computer prices remain relatively stable. Some suppliers have launched promotional programs, streamlined services, and reduced prices to attract more customers. For instance, some models from Green Tek have dropped by up to $25 each. Currently, desktops hold about 1-2% of the market share, primarily driven by project contracts.
“The fluctuations in the price of these ‘hot’ components have had certain negative impacts on the market and purchasing power, leading to a consumer mindset of delaying purchases in anticipation of further price drops,” stated Mr. Nguyen Manh Lan from STC Computer Company. “However, this week will likely see significant price fluctuations leading to increased purchasing power due to genuine demand, as Intel’s CPU prices have begun to rise again.”
In Ho Chi Minh City, Intel processors are experiencing a price increase of $1-2 per unit. According to sales representatives from several major computer stores, the prices of Celeron 310 – 2.13 GHz; 320 – 2.4 GHz, and Intel Pentium IV 506 – 2.66 GHz CPUs could increase by $4-5 each.
The online gaming market is currently thriving, especially as game publishers announce their new release schedules. This has led to increased demand for VGA upgrades at various gaming and Internet service providers. With the higher graphical requirements of new games, NVIDIA FX series and ATI 9250 chipset products are gradually replacing the older MX and 9200 series products.
The purchasing power for laptops has surged, increasing by 30% compared to the same period last year. Previously, the market was heavily focused on high-end models, but the introduction of affordable laptops from brands like Acer and NEC has provided consumers with more opportunities to own a laptop. Currently, Acer holds the number one position in market share, with retail customers of this brand accounting for up to 30% of the market.
The second-hand computer market has experienced minimal fluctuations. According to representatives from several stores on Ton That Tung and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai streets (Ho Chi Minh City), this market still attracts a considerable number of provincial customers, students, and pupils, with prices for each unit ranging from $100 to $200. It is anticipated that the “peak selling season” for used computers will extend longer than last year.
A representative from Hoan Long IT Trading Company expressed: “Since the beginning of the year, computers and digital entertainment devices have been selling quite well. We hope this ‘peak selling season’ will last about a month longer than last year.”
Hang Nga
