IBM Bops Around With Flex System Feature Prices

December 2, 2013 Timothy Prickett Morgan

Trying to keep up with feature price changes is a big pain in the neck for both Power Systems resellers and customers buying machines. IBM has been making a bunch of changes here in there in the past few weeks that you need to be aware of as you shop.

In announcement letter 313-110 from November 12, IBM raised prices on selected Flex System features by between 3 and 16.5 percent. The price changes affect features for Flex System x240, x222, and x440 server nodes, which are all based on Intel Xeon processors. Here are the price changes by feature:

Machine	Feature	Old	New	Percent
Type	Number	Price	Price	Change
7906	A2U5	$329	$339	3.0%
7906	A24L	105	115	9.5%
7906	A28Z	105	115	9.5%
7906	A292	179	189	5.6%
7906	8923	189	205	8.5%
7906	8939	375	409	9.1%
7906	8941	109	115	5.5%
7906	8942	109	115	5.5%
7916	A2U5	329	339	3.0%
7916	A24L	105	115	9.5%
7916	A28Z	105	115	9.5%
7916	A292	179	189	5.6%
7916	8923	189	205	8.5%
7916	8941	109	115	5.5%
7916	8942	109	115	5.5%
7917	A2U5	329	339	3.0%
7917	A28Z	105	115	9.5%
7917	A292	179	189	5.6%
7917	8923	189	205	8.5%
7917	8941	109	115	5.5%
7917	8942	109	115	5.5%
8737	A2U5	329	339	3.0%
8737	A24L	105	115	9.5%
8737	A28Z	105	115	9.5%
8737	A292	179	189	5.6%
8737	A3QC	145	149	2.8%
8737	A3QH	179	189	5.6%
8737	A3QJ	205	239	16.6%
8737	A3QL	345	369	7.0%
8737	A3QM	325	339	4.3%
8737	8923	189	205	8.5%
8737	8939	375	409	9.1%
8737	8941	109	115	5.5%
8737	8942	109	115	5.5%

On November 26, in announcement letter 313-119, Big Blue cut prices on Xeon processor and other features used in the Flex System nodes, thus:

TABLE2

Machine	Feature	Old	New	Percent
Type	Number	Price	Price	Change
7906	A1VQ	$2,169	$2,039	-6.0%
7906	A1VS	1659	1559	-6.0%
7906	A1VT	1315	1225	-6.8%
7906	A1VU	885	815	-7.9%
7906	A1VW	635	609	-4.1%
7906	A1VX	415	395	-4.8%
7906	A1WA	635	609	-4.1%
7906	A1WB	415	395	-4.8%
7906	A1WD	1659	1559	-6.0%
7906	A1WE	1055	969	-8.2%
7906	A1W1	1659	1559	-6.0%
7906	A1W2	1055	969	-8.2%
7906	A1W4	2169	2039	-6.0%
7906	A1W6	1659	1559	-6.0%
7906	A1W7	1315	1225	-6.8%
7906	A1W8	885	815	-7.9%
7906	A24L	115	105	-8.7%
7906	A48S	1019	989	-2.9%
7906	A48T	1119	1089	-2.7%
7906	8648	89	79	-11.2%
7916	A24L	115	105	-8.7%
7916	A35R	2169	2039	-6.0%
7916	A35S	1659	1559	-6.0%
7916	A35T	1315	1225	-6.8%
7916	A35U	885	815	-7.9%
7916	A35V	635	609	-4.1%
7916	A35W	415	395	-4.8%
7916	A35Y	1659	1559	-6.0%
7916	A35Z	1055	969	-8.2%
7916	A36U	2169	2039	-6.0%
7916	A36V	1659	1559	-6.0%
7916	A36W	1315	1225	-6.8%
7916	A36X	885	815	-7.9%
7916	A36Y	635	609	-4.1%
7916	A36Z	415	395	-4.8%
7916	A371	1659	1559	-6.0%
7916	A372	1055	969	-8.2%
7917	A2CC	4135	3825	-7.5%
7917	A2CD	4135	3825	-7.5%
7917	A2CE	4135	3825	-7.5%
7917	A2CJ	5499	4999	-9.1%
7917	A2CK	5499	4999	-9.1%
7917	A2CL	5499	4999	-9.1%
7917	A2QU	5499	4999	-9.1%
7917	A2QV	5499	4999	-9.1%
7917	A2QW	5499	4999	-9.1%
7917	A290	455	385	-15.4%
7917	A48S	1019	989	-2.9%
7917	A48T	1119	1089	-2.7%
7917	8648	89	79	-11.2%
7955	EM09	210	230	9.5%
8737	A1BB	2545	2449	-3.8%
8737	A1CS	485	469	-3.3%
8737	A1CU	965	895	-7.3%
8737	A1CV	1389	1275	-8.2%
8737	A1CW	1669	1559	-6.6%
8737	A1CX	1959	1835	-6.3%
8737	A1CY	1389	1275	-8.2%
8737	A1CZ	2295	2195	-4.4%
8737	A1DA	1389	1275	-8.2%
8737	A1DB	2295	2195	-4.4%
8737	A1DD	1035	969	-6.4%
8737	A1DE	1635	1559	-4.6%
8737	A1D3	485	469	-3.3%
8737	A1D5	965	895	-7.3%
8737	A1D6	1389	1275	-8.2%
8737	A1D7	1669	1559	-6.6%
8737	A1D8	1959	1835	-6.3%
8737	A1D9	2545	2449	-3.8%
8737	A1ER	1035	969	-6.4%
8737	A1ES	1635	1559	-4.6%
8737	A1SX	2295	2195	-4.4%
8737	A1SY	2295	2195	-4.4%
8737	A2EP	1389	1275	-8.2%
8737	A2EQ	1389	1275	-8.2%
8737	A2ER	3115	2905	-6.7%
8737	A2ES	3115	2905	-6.7%
8737	A2ET	2125	2039	-4.0%
8737	A2EU	2125	2039	-4.0%
8737	A24L	115	105	-8.7%
8737	A290	455	385	-15.4%
8737	A31A	1815	1735	-4.4%
8737	A31B	1815	1735	-4.4%
8737	A31C	1815	1735	-4.4%
8737	A319	1815	1735	-4.4%
8737	A4K2	1319	1099	-16.7%
8737	A48S	1019	989	-2.9%
8737	A48T	1119	1089	-2.7%
8737	8648	89	79	-11.2%

This latter set of price changes, which range from a cut of between 2.1 to 16.7 percent depending on the feature, took effect on November 26. List price is never street price, of course, so remember that these new list prices are just the start of a new round of negotiating.