Delivers Pentium II® Performance with More Features for Mainstream Desktops
Richardson, Texas -- April 14, 1998 -- Cyrix® Corporation, a National Semiconductor® Corporation (NYSE: NSM), today raised the bar for entry-level PC performance with the introduction of the M II™-300 processor (pronounced "em two"). The newest Windows®-compatible processor from Cyrix offers no-compromise Pentium® II-class performance and features that make it a superior solution for the entry-level PC market.
Independent testing indicates that performance of the M II™-300 processor is up to 25 percent higher than the soon-to-be-announced Intel® Celeron® 266MHz processor, on systems with equivalent configurations. Additionally, in-house testing shows that the M II™-300 processor delivers industry-standard benchmark scores in the same range as the 300MHz Pentium II processor.
That means OEMs and resellers can offer M II™-300 processor-based systems with performance on par with Pentium II-based systems while providing end users with added features such as more memory, larger hard drives, faster CD ROM drives and modems -- all at the same price. The OEM or reseller can also offer an M II™-300 processor-based system that significantly outperforms a similarly priced Celeron-based PC.
"Our newest processor enables workstation-class performance at entry-level prices," said Brian Halla, president and CEO of National Semiconductor. "Others may try to 'decelerate' and devalue the performance of entry-level systems, but we believe customers are smart enough to figure out that game and demand higher performance.
"Systems using the M II™-300 processor do not compromise on features or performance," Halla said. "In fact, using the Cyrix M II™ processor enables OEMs to make a higher profit in the entry-level PC market. That means consumers get the state-of-the-art performance and features they want at a very affordable price."
Availability and Pricing
"We're working with a number of major OEM and reseller customers to deliver a broad range of systems using the M II™ 300 processor," added Swearingen. "We know end-users want a fully-featured, high-performance PC at an entry-level price. And we know OEMs and resellers want to make a reasonable profit. We're providing our customers with solutions that bring those two requirements together."
CyberMax Computer, Inc., one of the largest direct sellers of PCs in the U.S., will offer M II™ 300 processor-based systems available in late April.
The M II™ 300 is priced at $180 in quantities of 1,000 and will be available starting late April, with volume shipments in May.
Strategy Strengthens Entry-Level
Cyrix continues to drive the growth of the entry-level segment, creating new price points and enabling new segments with the MediaGX integrated processor, and delivering Pentium II-level performance to the sub-$1,000 segment with the M II™ processor.
Cyrix Corporation
Cyrix is a registered trademark, and M II and MediaGX are trademarks of Cyrix Corporation, a subsidiary of National Semiconductor Corporation. Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
"We have made some significant breakthroughs in tuning our design and manufacturing processes to increase yields of higher speed grades," said Stan Swearingen, senior director of business management and marketing for Cyrix. "That's how we're able to offer our customers such great values in high-performance, high-quality processors. And our relationships with IBM Microelectronics and TSMC, plus the rapidly ramping production capabilities at our own National Semiconductor fab, provide us the manufacturing capacity to meet demand.
"The M II™ 300 enables us to offer customers a loaded, high-performance system at an affordable price," said Frank Schwartz, New Products manager for CyberMax Computer, Inc. "The M II™ 300 processor is a powerful, no compromise engine with all the capabilities needed to run the most popular end user applications."
Cyrix Corporation's aggressive strategy of rapidly introducing product enhancements reinforces the Company's commitment to deliver high performance to the entry-level PC market. The Company pioneered the sub-$1,000 PC market in 1997, working with Compaq® Computer Corporation to create a robust market segment that the industry previously regarded as marginal.
Cyrix, a wholly owned subsidiary of National Semiconductor, is a leading supplier of innovative processor-based solutions that set new standards for the personal computer market. Cyrix delivers compelling value and quality to its customers, the manufacturers of personal computer products, by combining industry-leading design with world-class manufacturing. For more information, visit Cyrix's web site at www.cyrix.com.