[SunRescue] SunBlade 100 pricing and it's effect on the used market

[Chris Petersen]

> 
> All,
> 
> Does it seem safe to assume that the wide introduction of the SB100 is going
> to drive the prices of all the existing used U1/5/10's and pre-Ultra
> machines into the toilet? 
> 
> Why would I buy a used U10 for approx. $1400.00 (current e-bay prices) when
> the low-end and "medium" config of the SB100 are cheaper or the same price?
> (I haven't studied the SB100 specs in detail, so if there's a gotcha, please
> point it out to me).
> 
> With first generation Ultra prices already declining, it seems to me that
> this will only accelerate the price slide of those boxes, not to mention the
> pre-Ultra Sun-4 arch boxes.
> 
> I think it's a good time to be an old hardware scrounge! <grin>
> 
> A friend has ordered an SB100 already. When it gets in and I get a chance to
> look and play, I'll report up to the list.
> 
> 
> Steve
> 

Interesting comments, Steve.  I think you're probably right in thinking this
will have some sort of impact on the current unit pricing.   I would imagine
we're in for a serious adjustment on Ultra 1s & 5s.  U1s have been steadily
dropping ever since I got my 200E (which I'm still very pleased with), but I
think this could depress them even further.  The real noticeable drop I
would have to think with be the 5.  The 5 is a bit of an odd duck to begin
with, with it's unaccessible UPA slots, questionable case design, and
questionable video.  If the Blade 100 addresses those areas (okay, lack of
UPA wasn't exactly a solution so much as an acknowledgement of more PCI in
the future), then I would expect the 5 to drop fast.

The 10 is an interesting case, though.  Always had faster CPU out of the box
than the 5, usable UPA slot, arguably better case design (but not better
quality necessarily).  If there's any faster USIIi modules yet to be made,
then I would argue that the 10 will become the best value in the whole
range.  I've already voiced my opinion that there's a wide gulf between the
new 100 and 1000, and I have a hard time accepting that the 60 & 80 fill
that (US II only, no aggressive push to liquidate, costs haven't changed
dramatically yet) gap for very long.  Then again, it's possible that the
U60/80 could become the next U2 (overpriced for a looong time due to option
sets and other support issues)

Here's to hoping that the U30 continues to fall (anybody tried the new
SunPCI II for windows games yet??  The u30 + PCi II seems like my dream home
box at the moment...)

-- 
Chris Petersen
Systems Engineer, Industry Services, Unigraphics Solutions Inc.
Co-founder, auctions.workstations.org
Email: havoc at apk.net