Also, PlanetHardware is not compensated in any way by the particular vendors we list each week, so buyers should do their own research regarding the dependability of the vendors listed. Model is the specific type of CPU that the price applies to. Price equals the actual cost that we found for the CPU type that week. Change is the amount in dollars that the memory type has gone up or down versus last week's price. Vendor is the URL where the CPU can be purchased.
Phone is the actual phone number of the vendor's shop.
Hopefully this weekly guide will serve PlanetHardware readers not only when they wish to upgrade their own PCs, but also as a snapshot of how well the PC industry is doing in general. Typically, higher prices mean increased demand without enough supply. This is good indicator that the semiconductor and PC tech industries are doing well, since profit margin remains high and consumers are buying in volume. When prices fall for too long however it indicates the opposite, namely too much supply and not enough demand. If an extended period of radically lowered prices occurs it's a good bet that consumers have tightened their purse strings and are saving money rather than spending.