From: tsipple@vnet.IBM.COM Subject: OS/2 NEWS: Performance of OS/2 Warp on Intel Pentium Pro processor Date: Tue, 7 Nov 1995 04:48:29 GMT Submitted by: Timothy F. Sipples (tsipple@vnet.ibm.com) Source: Timothy F. Sipples (tsipple@vnet.ibm.com) Date received: 1995 November 6 Date posted: 1995 November 6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PSP PRESS REL: IBM ANNOUNCES PERFORMANCE RESULTS FOR OS/2* WARP ON PENTIUM** PRO PROCESSOR AUSTIN, Texas, November 1, 1995...IBM today released impressive OS/2* Warp performance results on the new Intel Pentium** Pro (P6) processor, also announced today. OS/2 Warp performance improved up to 121 percent on the Pentium Pro chip. The testing indicates that 32-bit applications for OS/2 will gain significant benefits running on Pentium Pro processor-based computers, positioning OS/2 Warp as a premier operating system foundation for the computer chip. OS/2 Warp and Pentium Pro processor performance tests were conducted in IBM's performance test labs using a 150 MHz Pentium Pro processor compared to a 133 MHz Pentium processor-based system. The tests involved a variety of popular software products, including SPG ColorWorks, SAS and MicroStation. The scores were compared against the capability of the same software on the current Pentium processor-based computers. Performance improvements were significant, ranging from 30 percent up to 121 percent over the Pentium processor-based computer. Comparisons were based on tests involving individual application functions, such as recalculations, image redesigns and recompiling of code. Software test products were selected for their compatibility to Intel's expected market segments for the Pentium Pro processor. Those segments include high-end workstations and server-oriented markets. "Our customers will be pleased with Warp's performance results on the Pentium Pro chip," said Wally Casey, director of marketing for IBM Personal Software Products. "Combined with Intel's focus on 32-bit applications and the fact that there are more native 32-bit applications for OS/2 than any other platform, we believe OS/2 Warp is extremely well positioned for the upcoming Pentium Pro market." "OS/2 Warp and ColorWorks have proven to be a hot combination for Pentium Pro processor-based computers -- they're increasing performance by 121 percent over current Pentium processor-driven systems," said Joel Krautheim, president of SPG, Inc., maker of ColorWorks software for graphics design. "OS/2 Warp's high performance will complement Pentium Pro's appeal to Intel's targeted high-end business desktops and visual computing systems that run 32-bit applications." The following is a complete list of test results with corresponding performance gains: Software Product Tested Performance Gain ColorWorks 121% DIVE Direct Video Enhancement 113% Argonaut Robot 88% SAS 70% Open GL - DX 53% Micro Station 49% Open GL - CDRS 47% Movie Player 45% Visual Age 30% "The Pentium Pro processor dovetails with our strategy to continue to encourage developers to write new 32-bit applications for OS/2 Warp," said Jim Gant, vice president, IBM Solution Developer Operations. "We hope to see many new OS/2 applications introduced by the end of this year that will capitalize on Intel's announcement." OS/2 is one of the cornerstones of IBM's software strategy. OS/2 Warp, targeted at the home and small business user, has been followed by the release of OS/2 Warp Connect, the client version of OS/2 Warp aimed at small businesses and workgroups with networking needs. IBM shipped in September the first beta of OS/2 Warp Server, the integrated application server version of OS/2 Warp for customers ranging from small businesses to large enterprises. OS/2 Warp Server is expected to ship in the first quarter of 1996. OS/2 has nearly ten million users worldwide. Four million copies of OS/2 Warp have been sold since November 1994. OS/2 Warp has won 23 industry awards, including editors choice awards, user awards and technical awards. In 1995, more than 125 software developers have announced plans to offer new native OS/2 applications, adding to the 2,500 OS/2 applications already on the market. IBM news releases are available on the Internet, via the IBM Home Page at: http://www.ibm.com The IBM Fax Information Service allows you to receive facsimiles of prior IBM product press releases. Dial 1-800-IBM-4FAX and enter "99" at the voice menu. * Trademark of the International Business Machines Corp. ** Registered trademark of the Intel Corp.