Low-cost notebooks lead to price cuts

In the US market, retail prices for 15.4-inch notebooks from first-tier branded vendors have been cut US$200-300 as vendors hope to spur customers to go for a second notebook. Of the major vendors, Acer and Compaq have already introduced 15.4-inch models priced under US$500 in the US market while other major notebook vendors including Dell, Toshiba, Sony, Compaq, Gateway, Everex have also introduced 15.4-inch notebooks priced under US$600.

While prices of 15.4-inch notebooks seem to be feeling an affect from low-cost PCs, the upcoming launch of a 12.1-inch notebook, slated for the third quarter, by Acer is about to pose a stronger impact to the entry-level notebook market, market watchers predict.