Cirrus Logic Focuses on Accelerated Graphics Port for 3D Products; Early Preview of Arcade-Quality 3D Scheduled for AGP Developers Conference.

FREMONT, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 14, 1996--Cirrus Logic Inc. (NASDAQ: CRUS) today confirmed its support of Intel's Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP), a high-performance interface that will provide future graphics accelerators with a high-bandwidth, low-latency connection to the system memory demanded by 3D graphics.

Cirrus Logic noted that it expects to provide a family of 3D accelerators that support AGP beginning with the sampling of products oriented for the mass market in the second half of 1996, and extending into high-performance arcade-quality 3D solutions in 1997.

"We are pleased to see Cirrus Logic's level of support for the Accelerated Graphics Port interface," said Carl Everett, vice president of Intel Corporation. "This support will help drive compelling high-performance 3D graphics into the PC platform."

According to Cirrus Logic, its high-performance architecture for graphics accelerators include a number of features that enhance both PCI and AGP performance. This architecture will serve as the platform for the company's first 3D graphics accelerators that will sample by mid-year for PCI, and later in the year for AGP.

Cirrus Logic also reports that later this month it will give an early preview of its arcade-class 3D technology, based on the company's recent technology accord with 3DO. This early preview will take place at the E3 exposition (May 16-18, Los Angeles) and the industry's first AGP Developers Conference (May 30-31, Santa Clara, California). Cirrus Logic's confirmation to deliver a range of AGP-compliant solutions, from mainstream to high end, comes on the heels of Intel's disclosure to accelerate the acceptance of AGP by driving the development of high-end 3D graphics technologies.

"We have been working aggressively with Intel on AGP," said George Alexy, Cirrus Logic senior vice president of marketing. "We believe AGP is the right vehicle to deliver the performance required for arcade-quality 3D programs. Combining AGP with Microsoft's efforts to establish a rich application programming interface environment via Direct3D sends a clear message to content developers and PC manufacturers: We expect 3D to be an important mainstream technology in 1997."

The Accelerated Graphics Port will provide a significantly higher speed bus interface for graphics and facilitate fast access to host memory. These high-speed transfers will allow the use of main memory for texturing, alpha blending and z-buffering.

Cirrus Logic is a leading manufacturer of advanced integrated circuits for the desktop and portable computing, telecommunications and consumer electronics markets. The company applies its system-level expertise in analog and digital design to innovate highly integrated, software-rich solutions. Cirrus Logic has developed a broad portfolio of products and technologies for applications spanning multimedia, communications, mass storage, and data acquisition. -0-

Note to Editors: Additional information about Cirrus Logic and its subsidiaries may be accessed on the World Wide Web at http://www.cirrus.com/ or via fax-on-demand at 800/359-6414 (dial 510/249-4200 from outside the United States).

CONTACT: Cirrus Logic

Tom Rigoli, 510/226-2259

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