Markham, Ont.-based distributor Supercom is making available a full-featured multimedia desktop for just under $500.
The new machines will be under the Touch A Extreme Value brand and will be powered by either an Intel P4 or Celeron processor or an AMD Sempron processor.
According
to Paul Chiu, Supercom’s systems product manager, these units will try to address markets the distributor currently does not play in such as corporate and education markets.
“Small-to-medium sized businesses need a very long product life cycle,” Chiu said. “They also need a stable machine that does not require a lot of maintenance. These systems are decent for the corporate market and consumers. The system price is also very competitive and that’s what we tried to do; launch an inexpensive stable machine.”
To aid systems builders and other resellers in carrying the Extreme Value Touch line, Supercom has streamed down its warranty so that its partners can up sell customers from a basic one-year warranty to a three-year comprehensive package, Chiu said.
“For us (Supercom), we try to make a slim margin so that we can provide a solution to resellers that can make 12 to 15 points. If the reseller can sell a three-year warranty they can make more money. And, maybe the reseller can provide more value added services to the customer,” Chiu said.
Chiu added that the low price does not necessarily mean low quality components. “All the components are the latest and (this machine) are for users who do not want to change the chassis or components and want a standardized desktop,” he said.
Extreme Value PCs will typically come with combo drives, sufficient memory and Microsoft Windows XP Home edition. Chiu said that these would be high performance components that will have minimum depreciation.
The PC will also come with speakers, modem and will be backed by a one-year limited warranty from Supercom.
Currently, Supercom has targeted more than 200 resellers for its Touch A Extreme Value line, Chiu said.