Cyrix UK managing director Brendan Sherry today said that the late-January release of the 333MHz Pentium II will spell the end for Pentium MMX - and even the three letter acronym itself.

"The release of 'Deschutes' [the code name for the 333MHz part] pushes the realignment of Intel's pricing through the first quarter and accelerates the move the PII architecture. If you're holding MMX stock you'd better get rid of it quick," Sherry said.

Sherry predicted that the release - Intel's first desktop chip to be manufactured on a 0.25-micron fabrication process - will mean that the Pentium MMX will quickly assume rock-bottom pricing and be found in low-cost retail PCs before fading away.

"It'll be taken by Intel surrogates like Packard-Bell in £899 systems. Next year, I think you'll see the MMX name disappear - it will just be a given, something you get with the box."

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