Adds three new viewsets for popular graphics applications

WARRENTON, Va., May 6, 2002 - SPEC/GPC's OpenGL Performance Characterization (SPECopc) project group today released SPECviewperf 7.0, a major new version of its application-based performance evaluation software. The new benchmark is available for free downloading on this web site. Initial SPECviewperf 7.0 test results from SPECopc members will be available on the site May 15.

SPECviewperf 7.0 includes new features for more accurately capturing graphics functionality from real applications. It provides new and updated viewsets representing popular CAD/CAM/CAE and digital content creation (DCC) applications.

SPECviewperf 7.0 enables general state changes to be made during frames, bringing the benchmark much closer to how applications behave in the real world. Data traversal, facet color processing, and display of lighting and textures can now be changed from frame to frame.

The new viewsets have been designed to take advantage of the added capabilities within SPECviewperf 7.0. The viewsets' frames are based on traces of graphics commands made while running the actual applications. As a result, vendors and users can tune their graphics subsystems to the viewsets and see performance improvements in the actual applications.

Three new viewsets have been added based on traces of SPEC/GPC's Application Performance Characterization Group (SPECapc) benchmarks:

• 3dsmax-01, based on SPECapc for 3ds max 3.1 configured with the Open GL driver, includes three models containing an average of 1.5 million vertices each, and tests performance of scenes with different levels of lighting.
  
• proe-01, based on SPECapc for Pro/ENGINEER™ 2000i², measures two models in three modes - shaded, wireframe and hidden-line removal (HLR).
  
• ugs-01, based on SPECapc for Unigraphics V17, tests performance based on an engine model containing 2.1 million vertices.

The new viewsets replace three viewsets from SPECviewperf 6.1.2 that were deemed obsolete: awadvs-04 was retired because frame rates commonly exceeded refresh rates and it was based on an application that no longer exists; medmcad-01 represented a mix of CAD/CAM functionality and didn't focus on a specific application; and procdrs-03 was replaced because frame rates commonly exceeded refresh rates and the test no longer reflected the real application.

Three long-time viewsets have been updated to run under SPECviewperf 7.0: dx-07, based on the Data Explorer (DX) visualization application; drv-08, based on the DesignReview model review application; and light-05, based on the Lightscape radiosity visualization application.

As a result of the major revisions and new viewsets, results reported under SPECviewperf 7.0 cannot be compared with previously reported SPECviewperf results.

"The release of SPECviewperf 7.0 is significant because it brings graphics performance measurement much closer to what everyday users experience with their applications in the real world," says Bill Licea-Kane of ATI, SPECopc's chair. "The new tracing functionality will allow us to quickly add and update application-based viewsets to better meet users' needs."

SPECviewperf measures the 3D rendering performance of systems running under the OpenGL application programming interface (API). Viewsets are the test files that run under SPECviewperf. They represent a similar mix of graphics rendering and manipulation found in actual applications.

SPECopc is a project group of the Graphics Performance Characterization (GPC) Group, which in turn is part of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. (SPEC). SPEC is a non-profit corporation formed to establish, maintain and endorse a standardized set of relevant benchmarks that can be applied to the newest generation of high-performance computers. SPEC's membership includes computer hardware and software vendors, and leading universities and research facilities worldwide.

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