The XGL line consists of the entry level Quadro4 500/550, the mid-range 700/750, and the high-end Quadro4 900 XGL. The latter recently outscored the former high performer, 3Dlabs' new Wildcat III, in SPECviewperf benchmarks (see chart below), though the Wildcat continues to hold its own in application-based benchmarks such as those for Unigraphics or Solid Edge.
Okino Computer Graphics (Toronto) is making the VRML2 import converter for its PolyTrans 3D data translation product and NuGraf Rendering System software available on an open basis. The company, noting that VRML2 supports meshes, hierarchy, vertices, texture maps, lights, cameras, and a host of other file attributes, says it is promoting VRML2 as an ideal 3D data translation format, particularly from CAD packages. More information is available at www.okino.com/conv/imp_vrml.htm.
Nvidia's new Quadro4 900XGL bested other graphics accelerators in the latest round of ProCDRS-03 benchmarks. Pro/Designer ProCDRS-03 is a subset of the SPECviewperf 6.1.2 benchmark that is based on PTC's CDRS industrial design software. The subset consists of 10 tests, each of which represents a different mode of operation within CDRS.
The mean scores represent the combined, weighted results of the 10 tests, measured in the number of frames per second the machines were able to execute. The larger the numbers, the better the performance.
To see how the same graphics cards and workstations fared in other benchmark tests, or to review results from additional systems, visit www.spec.org/gpc.
| Top 10 ProCDRS Performers |
| Workstation |
Graphics card |
Price |
Mean Score |
| HP x2100 |
Nvidia Quadro4 900XGL |
$3242 |
103.3 |
| HP x2100 |
3Dlabs Wildcat III 6110 |
$4142 |
86.95 |
| IBM M Pro 2.2GHz |
3Dlabs Wildcat III 6110 |
$4038 |
86.92 |
| Dell 530 2.2GHz |
3Dlabs Wildcat III 6110 |
$4797 |
86.86 |
| Compaq Evo W6000 2.2GHz |
Nvidia Quadro4 750XGL |
$3343 |
82.44 |
| IBM M Pro 2.2GHz |
ATI FireGL 8800 |
$2738 |
78.22 |
| HP x2100 |
ATI FireGL 8800 |
$2882 |
78.20 |
| Fujitsu Siemens |
Celsius GL2 |
$4750 |
39.37 |
| Dell 340 2.2GHz |
ATI Fire GL2 |
$2617 |
39.35 |
| Compaq Evo W6000 2.2GHz |
Nvidia Quadro2 Pro |
$3343 |
39.18 |
Companies listed are voluntary participants.
Source: SPEC/GPC benchmark results February 20, 2002. Copyright Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. |
For additional CG industry news updated daily, see: www.cgw.com
News is written and compiled by Jenny Donelan