Silicon Graphics Boosts Performance Across Product Line of Workstations, Servers

First UNIX Systems Vendor to Incorporate Fastest Mainstream MIPS RISC Microprocessor

Leading the announcement is the introduction of the new 250 MHz MIPS® R4400 microprocessor, the fastest mainstream MIPS RISC microprocessor on the market, for Silicon Graphics' Indigo2 IMPACT® desktop workstations, Onyx graphics supercomputers and CHALLENGE® servers. These upgrades complement the Silicon Graphics' systems based on other binary-compatible MIPS RISC processors including the 90 MHz MIPS R8000 RISC microprocessor in the company's POWER CHALLENGE supercomputers.

Silicon Graphics also announced price reductions of up to 22 percent on selected configurations in its workstation and server lines. On the desktop, the 200 MHz Indy system replaces the 175 MHz system, representing a 35 percent improvement in applications price/performance. AIM performance numbers for this system increase from 118 to 140.

"To compete in the global business environment, our leading customers consistently demand the technology tools that will keep them at the top of their game," said Tom Jermoluk, chief operating officer of Silicon Graphics. "Whether in mechanical CAD, entertainment or database visualization, these customers are in ceaseless pursuit of the competitive edge. Today's announcement is a direct response to those needs."

Within the Indigo2 product line, the 175 MHz R4400 microprocessor replaces the 133 MHz R4600 microprocessor without price increase, boosting the AIM rating from 107 to 118. In addition, the price of the R8000 processor-based Power Indigo2 XZ system has been reduced 13 percent.

A list price for the CHALLENGE S server has been reduced 20 percent bringing leading file and World Wide Web server performance to a new set of customers. In addition, a 200 MHz CHALLENGE S server with 64MB of memory and a 2GB disk has been added to the line. The CHALLENGE DM system, a scalable network resource server with a one-to-four CPU, dropped 22 percent offering customers industry leading I/O capabilities especially powerful for Web server and product data management database solutions. Both CHALLENGE and Onyx 250 MHz R4400 configurations with 4MB secondary cache reach new levels of performance with numbers reaching 180.2 for SPECint and 177.5 for SPECfp.

All new configurations will ship in September. Upgrades to the new processor will also be available for previously installed Onyx, CHALLENGE and Indigo2 systems.

Silicon Graphics, Inc. is the leading manufacturer of high-performance visual computing systems. The company delivers interactive three-dimensional graphics, digital media and multiprocessing supercomputing technologies to technical, scientific and creative professionals. Its subsidiary, MIPS Technologies, Inc., designs and licenses the industry's leading RISC processor technology for the computer systems, interactive, consumer and embedded control markets. Silicon Graphics has offices worldwide and headquarters in Mountain View, California.