AST Research Inc., one of the leading makers of notebook computers, recently introduced a new model that analysts said will be one of the fastest notebook PCs on the market.
The AST Premium Exec 386SX/25 is the first brand-name notebook based on a new microprocessor built by Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
Until now, all of the major brands of high-performance, IBM PC-compatible notebook computers have been based on the i386SX microprocessor built by Intel Corp. of Santa Clara, Calif.
Advanced Micro, based in Sunnydale, Calif., went to court to affirm its right to build its own version of the Intel chip, and subsequently produced a processor that is faster and more energy-efficient than Intel's.
The AST Premium Exec 386SX/25 has a basic list price of $4,795, which includes 4 megabytes of system memory, an 80-megabyte hard disk, a bright VGA-level display, a 3.5-inch diskette drive and the usual assortment of ports.
The computer weighs 7.3 pounds, which is at least 2 pounds heavier than a notebook computer ought to be, but it conforms to the standard notebook dimensions of 11 inches wide and 8.5 inches deep.
AST officials said the new notebook would be widely available later this month.
A key question is whether consumers will care that the central processor in the AST Premium Exec 386SX/25 is made by Advanced Micro instead of Intel, since, by all other measures, the AST notebook either matches or surpasses the features of other notebook PCs.
"I don't think so," said Bruce A. Stephen, director of PC hardware research for the International Data Corp., a computer industry marketing and research company based in Framingham, Mass. "There have been other AMD chips on the market and it doesn't seem to have hampered sales. People look at things like price, and the feature set."
Mr. Stephen noted the sales of millions of 80286-based (AT-class) desktop personal computers that were based on Advanced Micro or Harris Corp. chips, made under license to Intel.
Basically, the only way to tell the difference between an Intel 286-based machine and a non-Intel machine has been to peek at the chip itself. Otherwise, in terms of performance, the user cannot tell the difference, except when the non-Intel chips are faster.
The raw speed of a microprocessor is measured in megahertz, or millions of cycles a second. Any IBM AT-compatible computer with a rated speed greater than 12 MHz uses a non-Intel chip, since Intel quit making the chip at 12 megahertz.
