Moving to the Pentium 4 does bring a few related changes for PC builders. The processor requires a motherboard integrating Intel's new 850 chipset, and this in turn means that only Rambus memory can be used. The Pentium 4 systems are designed for RDRAM 800MHz memory modules, which can be expensive and must be installed in pairs. In addition, because of a new socket interface design and new power requirements, the Pentium 4 will not work with existing heatsinks, power supplies, and cases. Clearly, the overall cost of new Pentium 4 systems means that the more accessible Pentium III will be in demand for some time to come.
Sierra Studios has announced a holiday promotion to go along with its lineup of available games. Customers who purchase one game from a select list will receive a US$10 rebate by mail. Those who purchase two games will receive a $25 rebate. There are several popular games featured in the rebate offer: Homeworld: Cataclysm, Zeus: Master of Olympus, Half-Life: Counter-Strike, Gunman Chronicles, Half-Life: Game of the Year, Half-Life: Platinum Edition, Pharaoh, NASCAR Racing 3, and Homeworld: Game of the Year. The mail-in rebate must be postmarked no later than March 3, 2001. For more information about the rebate offer, visit the official Sierra Web site.