HP Redefines Enterprise Technical Computing, 3-D Graphics Leadership; Introduces World's Fastest Desktop 3-D Graphics Workstations, Announces New Enterprise Parallel Server; HP Offers Upgrade Path to PA-8000 Technology.

PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 13, 1995--Targeting power users in compute- and graphics-intensive application areas, Hewlett-Packard Company today introduced the world's fastest desktop 3-D graphics workstations, and introduced a new enterprise parallel server that provides industry-leading price/performance and the most complete multicomputer solution on the market.

The new systems feature a modular system design that offers customers a seamless migration path to HP's next-generation, 64-bit PA-8000 microprocessor, which delivers industry-leading performance of 8.6 SPECint95 and 15 SPECfp95(1).

Today's announcement includes the following products:

- The HP 9000 C-class workstations -- new power desktop workstations, which support HP VISUALIZE graphics to deliver 50 percent greater 3-D graphics performance than Silicon Graphics' highest performing desktop systems and deliver 25 percent greater 3-D graphics performance than Sun Microsystems recently announced UltraSPARC systems.

- The HP 9000 Model EPS20 Enterprise Parallel Server -- which combines symmetric multiprocessing benefits with the enhanced performance and scalability of a multicomputer architecture to deliver a cost-effective alternative to supercomputers.

"Today HP reaffirms its industry-leadership position in 3-D graphics and its ongoing commitment to investment protection throughout its technical computing product family," said Mark A. Canepa, general manager of HP's Workstation Systems Division. "The HP Model C110 workstation with HP VISUALIZE graphics is the undisputed graphics performance and price/performance leader on the desktop -- but more importantly, it's available today.

C-CLASS WORKSTATIONS AND HP VISUALIZE GRAPHICS: POWER 3-D GRAPHICS DESKTOPS FOR TECHNICAL MARKETS

HP's C-class workstations, which are based on the HP-7200 processor, are priced from $19,715 (U.S.) and deliver compute performance of up to 167 SPECint92 and 269 SPECfp92 and 4.41 SPECint_base95 and 7.45 SPECfp_base95. HP VISUALIZE technology provides graphics performance of up to 180PLBwire93 and 230PLBsurf93 -- the industry's fastest desktop 3-D graphics performance.

C-class workstations are ideal for desktop users performing computational analysis, advanced 3-D design and compute- and memory-intensive processing workloads in areas such as mechanical- and electronic-design automation; technical-software development; geographic-information systems; oil and gas exploration and production; medical imaging; and architecture, engineering and construction.

The C-class workstations offer substantial graphics performance and price/performance advantages over comparably configured workstations from Silicon Graphics, as shown in the following examples:

- The HP Model C110 with VISUALIZE-48, priced at $44,500, delivers 60 percent greater floating-point performance and 70 percent faster 3-D graphics performance than Silicon Graphics' R4400 250MHz Indigo2 Maximum Impact, for $6,500 less(2);

- The HP Model C110 with VISUALIZE-48 also outperforms SGI's high-end desktop -- Power Indigo2 with Maximum Impact graphics -- offering 50 percent greater integer performance and 70 percent faster 3-D graphics performance, for $15,500 less(3);

- The HP C100 with VISUALIZE-24, priced at $29,500, delivers 50 percent better floating-point performance, and 4.5 times faster 3-D graphics performance than SGI's R4400 250MHz Indigo2 XZ, for $1,500 less(4);

THE EPS20: SERVING THE ENTERPRISE

The EPS20, priced from $120,100, supports multiple SMP nodes and delivers industry-leading multicomputer price/performance. For engineering and scientific users, it provides a high-throughput engine for applications such as computational fluid dynamics, seismic and finite-element analysis, and real-time simulation. For commercial users, the system is ideal for large-scale decision-support systems and specialized transaction processing.

The EPS20 supports up to 32 120MHz PA-7200 processors. In a sample two-way configuration, the EPS20 delivers performance of 77.5 SPECrate_int95 and 126 SPECrate_fp95.

Model EPS20 servers are bundled with HP's MC/System Environment, a comprehensive suite of system-management tools and applications designed to optimize system resources and simplify administration functions, such as system configuration, naming, boot-up and shutdown.

When compared to competitive systems, a 16-processor EPS20 with 128MB RAM per node, which is $456,000 and delivers 4GFLOPS performance, provides up to 2.5 times better price/performance than IBM's RS/6000 SP. A similarly configured RS/6000 SP delivers up to 4.2GFLOPS performance and is $1.2 million.

PA-8000 PERFORMANCE ADVANTAGES

The C-class and EPS20 can be upgraded easily to the breakthrough PA-8000 chip to deliver unprecedented long-term leadership in performance and application compatibility. The PA-8000's SPECint95 measurement is 43 percent higher than IBM's PowerPC 604; 69 percent higher than Sun's UltraSPARC (143MHz) and 18 percent higher than DEC's 21164 (300MHz). The PA-8000's SPECfp95 measurement is 200 percent higher than IBM's PowerPC 604; 103 percent higher than Sun's UltraSPARC (143MHz) and 29 percent higher than DEC's 21164 (300MHz.).

U.S. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY

The HP 9000 Model C100 with a 17-inch color monitor, 2GB disk and 32MB memory is $19,715. The HP 9000 Model C110 with a 17-inch color monitor, 2GB disk and 32MB memory is $25,715. The HP 9000 Model EPS20 with two processors, a 17-inch color monitor, 1GB disk and 128MB memory is $120,100.

The C-class workstations are available immediately. The EPS20 is expected to be available during the first calendar quarter of 1996.

HP is the second-largest computer supplier in the United States, with computer-related revenue of $19.6 billion in its 1994 fiscal year.

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global manufacturer of computing, communications and measurement products and services recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 99,900 employees and had revenue of $25 billion in its 1994 fiscal year. -0-

Note to Editors: Additional information on HP's technical workstation and server solutions is available on the Internet through the World Wide Web at http:\www.wsg.hp.com.

(1) SPEC stands for System Performance Evaluation Cooperative, in an industry-standard benchmarking group.

(2) Based on SPECint92 performance of 167 for HP vs. 113 for SGI; 3-D anti-aliased vector performance of 3.4M for HP vs. 2.0M for SGI (70 percent increase); and 925 lighted shaded polygon rendering performance for HP vs. 600K for SGI (50 percent increase).

(3) Based on SPECfp92 performance of 269 for HP vs. 165 for SGI; 3-D anti-aliased vector performance of 3.4M for HP vs. 2.0M for SGI (70 percent increase); and 925K lighted shaded polygon rendering performance for HP and 600K for SGI (50 percent increase).

(4) Based on SPECfp92 performance for 224 for HP vs. 165 for SGI and lighted shaded polygon per second performance of 285K for HP vs. 67K for SGI (4.5 times faster).

CONTACTS: Copithorne & Bellows for HP

Tim Hurley, 617/252-0606

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Copithorne & Bellows for HP

Holly Zmetrovich, 617/252-0606

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