SPEC/GPC Issues 5,000 Free Benchmark CDs

NEW ORLEANS, La., July 25, 2000 - SPEC's Graphics Performance Characterization (GPC) Group is distributing 5,000 free CDs containing the latest versions of its performance evaluation benchmarks. Approximately 4,700 are being distributed from members' booths at SIGGRAPH 2000; the remaining will be available through SPEC/GPC headquarters or the GPC News web site for $20 to cover shipping and handling.

Source code and executables are included in the CD for the following benchmarks:

• SPECviewperf 6.1.2 - the worldwide industry standard for measuring the 3D rendering performance of systems running under the OpenGL application programming interface (API); includes updated versions of the Advanced Visualizer (AWadvs-04), DesignReview (DRV-07), Data Explorer (DX-06), Lightscape (Light-04) and ProCDRS-03 viewsets, plus a new MCAD viewset (medMCAD-01), for testing performance based on graphics functions within specific applications.
  
• SPECapc for Pro/ENGINEER 2000i - measures graphics and CPU performance based on common user interaction with a large (370,000 triangles) Pro/ENGINEER model.
  
• SPECapc for SolidWorks 99 - measures performance of I/O, CPU and graphics operations based on common user interaction with typical SolidWorks 99 models.
  
• SPECapc for Unigraphics V15 - measures performance of I/O, CPU, graphics and other operations for a wide spectrum of Unigraphics functionality.

The CD also includes previews of SPECapc benchmarks for 3D Studio MAX R3 and CoCreate's SolidDesigner applications, background information on SPEC/GPC project groups (SPECapc, SPECmedia and SPECopc), benchmark run and reporting rules, and links to current performance results and other content on this web site.

The SPEC/GPC benchmark CD can be ordered through this web site or through SPEC headquarters at 6585 Merchant Place, Ste. 100, Warrenton, VA 20187; tel: 540-349-7878; fax: 540-349-5992; e-mail: gpcinfo@spec.org. SPEC/GPC is part of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. (SPEC), a non-profit corporation formed to establish, maintain and endorse a standardized set of relevant benchmarks that can be applied to the newest generation of high-performance computers. SPEC's membership includes computer hardware and software vendors, and leading universities and research facilities worldwide.