IBM Corp has reduced the system memory prices on its RS/6000 family of workstations and servers by up to 44%. At the same time, IBM cut prices on its RS/6000 Model 43P-140 system and on the 3D GXT550P graphics accelerator prices, the combined effect of which lowers the price of the 43P-140 – IBM’s top-selling workstation – by between 9% and 34%, depending on the configuration. For example, a richly configured 43P-140 technical workstation for complex 3D mechanical design applications, with 166MHz processor, 512Mb memory, 2Gb disk, GXT 55OP graphics accelerator and 17-inch 1280 times 1024 display, has been reduced from $37,900 to $25,700 – a 32% reduction. On its own, prices for the 24-bit Power GXT550 double-buffered true-color graphics accelerator has been cut 25% from $6,000 to $4,500. IBM also doubled the basic disk storage capacity on the Model 3BT and 3CT workstations and C10, C20 and R20 servers, to 2.2Gb.
