why is the 16F88 more exspensive than the 16F883

[Simon]

simple question, why is the bigger chip a whole £ 1 cheaper ? the 16F883 has got 4 ports where as the other only 2

[Zero999]

Because the older IC is either no longer made or is produced in smaller numbers so commands a higher price?

[Simon]

i thought it was quite current, unkless you have a large project its powerful and has up to 16 I/O pins

[qno]

I wonder if Microchip also monitors the forum.

Maybe they will reply after a while.......

It could be that the silicon is a different technology and/or the yield of the wafer is less.
Or it is a less popular chip so they have to interrupt the more popular production to produce a batch.
In short, could be all sorts of things.

[Simon]

interesting possibilities, I can understand why the price of the 16F84 would rise i mean its ancient and time it went, I had no issues starting on the 16F88 and infact have moved down to the 12F615 as the 16F88 had more than i needed, now the 16F883 is bigger physically so more material goes in, it is still 20 MHz like the '88 it just has more ports I beleive. I can understand two chips the same size being different in price to give one the push but these are products meant for different things, apart from price there is no way I'd go for a '883 over a '88 if the '88 did all i need.

[EEVblog]

I believe the 883 is much more recent so it likely has better wafer yield and all the other "newer product" company/marketing politics that goes along with it.
Due to moore's law, semiconductor makers have to be seen to come out with more powerful devices at lower prices points. So whether or not the 16F88 costs more to produce than the 16F833 might be a moot point.

Microchip have to be careful with all these new devices, it can be a blessing and a curse. Witness Maxim.

Dave.

[Simon]

point is if microchip don't mind i'm not going to edesign stuff eavery year to suit the latest and cheapest chip, if one really needs a smaller chip that cheaper to make why charge more ?, is there a superior 18 pin pic to the 16F88 to the point that it justifies trying to push the '88 out ?