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Product News |
May 19, 2000 |
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SGI Unveils Next-Generation Workstations
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, May 15 -- SGI has introduced its next generation of Intel processor-based workstations, which are designed to deliver high performance to users running either Windows or Linux operating systems. The new systems will ship with SGITM VProTM graphics, also announced by SGI this week. According to SGI, the Silicon Graphics 230, Silicon Graphics 330, and Silicon Graphics 550 workstations accelerate OpenGL graphics functions such as hardware transform and lighting, texture mapping, and anti-aliasing, allowing users to bring increased realism to 3D models. The new systems are based on Intel Pentium III and Pentium III Xeon processors and have been certified for the Microsoft Windows NT and Red Hat Linux 6.1 operating systems. This product family is SGI's first workstation for Linux users, and is the industry's first workstation designed from the ground-up to accelerate OpenGL 3D graphics in hardware on the Linux OS. "Linux has lacked a well-integrated 3D graphics API, so the platform should benefit from the availability of optimized OpenGL graphics," said Pia Rieppo, principal analyst for workstations at Dataquest, a Gartner Group company. "Optimized OpenGL graphics should have a positive impact on the availability of third-party applications for the Linux OS, enabling graphics workstation users to take advantage of the reliability and cost savings of the Linux operation system." VPro -- SGI's new cross-platform graphics family -- will ship first on the company's new Windows and Linux workstations. According to SGI, VPro graphics on the Silicon Graphics 230, 330, and 550 workstations will offer up to 64 MB of high-speed double data rate (DDR) graphics memory. The systems are designed to deliver geometry performance over 17 million triangles per second and up to 540 megapixels per second, allowing for improved realism and interactivity of 3D models. (Geometry performance is based on 5-pixel, smooth-shaded, Z-buffered triangles.) The new workstation family will be priced from $2,725 (U.S. list). The Silicon Graphics 230 is shipping now; the Silicon Graphics 330 and 550 are expected to ship later this quarter. For more information, visit www.sgi.com/products/hw_workstations.html.
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