Apex raises the bar with intelligent 100mhz dual console long line driver.

WOODINVILLE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 17, 1997--

- New Switch Provides High Bandwidth Transmission

Connections to Remote Consoles -

Apex PC Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:APEX) today announced a new development in high bandwidth long-line drivers that transmits high resolution video, keyboard and mouse signals to consoles located up to 600 feet away from main data. Apex is the industry leader in console switching technology and server cabinets for the client/server environment.

In addition to allowing two users simultaneous access to a single computer, the new generation SwitchBack(R) provides twice the bandwidth of any other long-line driver, offering 100mhz transmission at 600 feet. The new generation SwitchBack uses industry standard category 5 UTP cabling. This allows the product to be connected to main data centers using existing cable infrastructure, thus providing plug-and-play setup and significant cost savings over any dual console long-line driver.

"Just as Apex's introduction of ViewPoint, OutLook, and OSCAR revolutionized the switch market, Apex's new generation SwitchBack raises the technological bar for long-line drivers," stated Kevin Hafer, Apex president and CEO.

"Video quality has become a key issue for system administrators," he said. "Only SwitchBack's 100mhz bandwidth and patent-pending circuitry is capable of addressing the customer's actual need for video quality at longer distances. Our industry has traditionally attempted to define video quality at longer distances by reference to resolution. But, from the customer's perspective, the real measure of video quality is bandwidth, which is the amount of video signal we are able to transmit end-to-end. So for distance products, Apex will use bandwidth as the quantitative measure of video quality and performance."

SwitchBack users will find substantial improvements over the previous model. In addition to providing increased bandwidth, more robust operation includes automatic configuration for either category 3 or category 5 cable and real-time tuning of the video display. The combination of Apex's proprietary hardware and embedded software allows users to adjust the video display to individual preference, unlike competitive models which require cable dissection and complicated formulas to optimize resolution.

In addition, the new generation SwitchBack can be programmed with user-definable "time-outs" that allow shared system access and give administrators the ability to define far end "lock-out" duration and video blanking settings. The new version also boasts a smaller case size measuring 1.75 inches tall by 8.5 inches wide by 5.4 inches deep.

SwitchBack is designed to operate as either a stand-alone device or in concert with other Apex products, including ViewPoint(R), OutLook(TM), SunDial(TM) and OutLook4(TM). These console switching devices allow network administrators to operate multiple servers from centralized consoles, consolidate hardware requirements and access servers even when the network is down.

ViewPoint, the company's flagship product, provides 16 administrators with access to 256 servers for functions ranging from network administration to system trouble-shooting. OutLook and OutLook4 both provide access to up to 64 servers and work across platforms as diverse as Intel, Macintosh, RS-6000, HP-9000 and Sun.

Like many Apex products, the new SwitchBack reflects the company's emphasis on customer-driven engineering, according to Danny Beasley, director of engineering at Apex. "Customers were very positive about earlier models of the product, but didn't like paying for proprietary cable or the cost of pulling it through their building," he said. "Category 5 is a standard networking cable that's already installed at most facilities, so it was an obvious choice for use with the new generation product."

Moving from proprietary to industry-standard cable required Apex engineers to completely rethink the product's design, according to Steve McCarthy, director of product development for Apex. "From an engineering standpoint, these developments provide superior distance and quality characteristics which can be readily introduced into Apex's product family in the future."

Company Background

Apex PC Solutions designs, manufactures and markets stand-alone switching systems and integrated cabinet solutions for the client/server computing market. Apex switching systems enable client/server network administrators to manage multiple servers from a single keyboard, video monitor and mouse configuration (a "console") to more efficiently manage their organization's complex and growing server populations.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release which are not historical information are forward-looking statements as defined within the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or implied. In addition, prior financial results of the Company are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in the future and the Company believes that such comparisons cannot be relied upon as indicators of future performance. Factors which could affect the Company's operating and financial results are described in the Company's Form 10-KSB and Form 10-QSB filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the period ended December 31, 1996, and March 28, 1997, respectively, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's reports to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to forward-looking statements which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

CONTACT: Apex PC Solutions

Douglas A. Bevis

Chief Financial Officer

425/402-9393

http://www.apexpc.com