New Packard Bell line-up includes $999 entry level Pentium and the Intel Pentium processor with MMX technology

Business Wire, Jan 8, 1997

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 1997--

Company offers widest variety of models for every price point and need; Packard Bell continues to offer amazing value, cutting-edge technology

Packard Bell, the world's No. 1 selling home computer maker, Wednesday unveiled its new 1997 line-up of Platinum and standard Pentium personal computers which feature the latest technology at a wide range of prices.

The new line ranges from entry-level Intel Pentium-based PCs with an estimated street price of $999 with monitor, to fully loaded, top-of-the-line Packard Bell Platinum computers featuring the Intel Pentium processor with MMX technology, with retail prices anticipated to begin at $1,699. Models will begin appearing on retail shelves this week.

"We were the first to see the need for computing in the home, and now we want to see every home have a computer," said Beny Alagem, president and chief executive officer of Packard Bell NEC Inc., the parent company for Packard Bell, NEC Computer Systems Division, Zenith Data Systems and ZDS Direct. "With the addition of this extensive home PC line-up, Packard Bell NEC is positioned exceptionally well to compete aggressively in 1997 in all channels of the PC industry, including the home, commercial, government and direct markets."

"Beyond offering the latest processor technology from Intel and an affordable PC for first-time buyers, Packard Bell's 1997 line offers up to 64 MB of RAM as a standard option and high capacity hard drives up to 6.4 GB of storage," stated Mal Ransom, Packard Bell's senior vice president of marketing.

Exclusive Packard Bell Features

To enhance the user's experience and protect the computing investment, all Packard Bell computers are loaded with the following features and the latest technology:

-- Packard Bell Navigator - the easiest way to get to know and use a home computer with a graphical user interface similar to the environment of a person's home with five rooms for different family members.

-- BBE High Definition Sound Enhancement System - the latest standard used by the music industry for outstanding sound quality for games and other multimedia, complete with 16-bit SRS 3-D Amphitheater Stereo Sound.

-- Preloaded name-brand software titles for business, online, reference and learning.

-- Comm Central - Packard Bell's own telephony suite of software turns the PC into a telephone answering system will full duplex speakerphone and fax capabilities and up to 200 custom voice mail boxes.

Platinum with Intel Pentium Processor With MMX Technology

Packard Bell's Platinum series featuring Intel Pentium processor with MMX technology offers the widest variety of MMX models with advanced features to protect the consumer's investment today by providing the technology needed to run tomorrow's software.

Some of these features include MPEG-2 for natural-looking, full motion playback of movies, concerts, games and DVD (Digital Video Disk) entertainment; Dolby Digital (AC-3) Surround Ready for future AC-3 sound systems and surround sound-enabled software titles; Universal Serial Bus for easy daisy-chaining of multiple peripherals and faster data transfer rates through a single hub; SRS and BBE sound for enriched listening quality.

S-Video and composite video inputs, for connecting VCRs, laser disc players, camcorders and DSS (Digital Satellite System), are available on select models.

Intel's MMX technology dramatically boosts graphics and multimedia performance and is the latest computing architecture platform. Packard Bell will offer several base models of the Platinum series, including 166 and 200 MHz Pentium processing power with MMX technology. (Exact models at each retailer will vary; monitors are sold separately). MMX models will include:

-- 166 or 200 MHz Intel Pentium processor with MMX technology

and 32K internal cache

-- 3-D Graphics Power

-- 256 KB pipelined burst cache for even more speed and

performance

-- High capacity hard drives from 2 GB to 6.4 GB capacity

-- 33.6 Kbps modem with 14.4 Kbps fax

-- SRS and BBE enhanced sound

-- 16X maximum variable speed CD-ROM

-- 16, 24, 32 or 64 MB EDO RAM and 2 MB EDO RAM video memory

-- MPEG-2

New $999 Entry Level with Latest Intel Pentium Technology

For those who want the latest technology from a top manufacturer at a lower entry price, Packard Bell is offering an Intel Pentium entry-level PC at an estimated street price of $999. "Now users will have a choice," said Ransom. "Consumers can now buy a full-feature PC with today's technology below $1,000. We are offering the same great Pentium performance and Packard Bell features like Comm Central telephony, as well as the fastest modem available for Internet cruising and a color monitor, all at a great price. This unit is not only positioned to help the first-time user take the PC plunge, but also enable families to buy their second or third computer."

With the estimated street price of $999, Packard Bell's offering in the sub-$1,000 price range is part of the new standard Pentium line also announced Wednesday. The $999 system includes a color monitor, super fast 33.6 Kbps modem/14.4 Kbps fax, 120 MHz Intel Pentium processor, 16 MB of RAM, 1.2 GB hard drive, 8X CD-ROM and name-brand software such as Windows 95, Corel WordPerfect Suite 7, Microsoft Works, Quicken Special Edition, Packard Bell Navigator, Packard Bell Direct Internet Access, Comm Central telephony and Fast Media quick key access to highly used features. This model comes in a 4-slot x 4-bay chassis.