1GHz Gateways arrive in UK next week

PC manufacturer Gateway has promised ZDNet that UK customers will be able to get their hands on its Select 1000 PC 1GHz Athlon-based PC by Friday next week.

This looks to make Gateway the first manufacturer to cough up a 1GHz-fuelled PC in Britain.

The news is a boost for rapidly rejuvenating microprocessor firm Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which beat Intel to the official launch of a 1GHz processor by days, and looks set to outdo its arch-enemy in supplying high-speed chips (900-1000MHz) by a considerable margin.

Intel maintains it is not responsible for the ongoing shortage of 1GHz Pentium III machines in Europe, and advised ZDNet to ask Intel customers why they were focusing on the North American market first. An Intel spokesman said, "the initial focus is in North America, because that is where the largest community wanting these machines is." Asked if he was saying to European customers, "if you want a 1GHz Intel machine, you're going to have to wait three months", the spokesman said, "Yes."

Newly renamed rival manufacturer Evesham.com will also demonstrate a PC using AMD's flagship 1GHz microprocessor on Friday, although it does not expect to be rolling out these machines to customers until 3 April.

Now that the gigahertz barrier has been broken, what's next? Will anyone care when we pass 2GHz? Michael Caton thinks not. Go and read the news comment at AnchorDesk UK.

For full coverage, see 1GHz: The whole story.

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