New systems built around Intel's 300-MHz Pentium II push high-performance solutions in two directions.
Robert L. Hummel
In the never-ending race for speed, Intel has pumped the Pentium II CPU up to an awe-inspiring 300 MHz. However, when we challenged PC vendors to provide systems, only two big-name vendors, Compaq and NEC, stepped up to the plate with 300-MHz systems based on the current 440FX chip set.
Most were unable to ship hardware in time for our deadline. We surmised that the majority of manufacturers are saving their 300-MHz chips for Intel's new high-performance chip set, dubbed the 440LX. The 440LX will add support for the perf
ormance-enhancing features, such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), Accelerated Grap
hics Port (AGP), and 33-MBps disk-drive access, that will truly showcase the 300-MHz Pentium II's power. LX-based systems are expected in the fourth quarter.
Graphics Diva
Compared to the NEC
PowerMate
Professional, the Compaq Professional
Workstation 6300
is unabashedly a high-end screamer. This dual-CPU-capable workstation is ruggedly built and fast.
Our test unit was packed with 128 MB ofRAM, a 4-GB SCSI hard drive, and a 16X CD-ROM drive. It came with Windows NT 4.0 and Service Pack 1. User-serviceable components, such as the CPU and memory, are installed in slide-out modules. The entire expansion-card cage comes out as a single unit, making shuffling expansion cards a delight. The chassis design is extremely user-friendly. You can open the case, remove modules, and install expansion cards and CPUs without using a single tool.
In our BYTEmark tests (which are CPU-specific), the Compaq 6300 scored 4.25 on the integer tests and 4.99 on the FPU tests -- exactly what we've measured on other FX-based 300-MHz Pentium II systems (see "First 300-MHz Pentium II Results," July BYTE). The Bapco and Viewperf benchmark results, however, were mixed compared to those of the NEC PowerMate.
Bapco's Sysmark for Windows NT 4.0 loads the system with a mix of applications typical of office PCs and light-duty workstations. In Sysmark/NT4, the Compaq 6300's scores were lower than either the NEC PowerMate or comparable 266-MHz systems in all but the presentation-graphics category. The 6300 is clearly not optimized for word processing. But when we pushed it to produce high-end 3-D graphics, it truly shined.
We also ran the DX 3.0 and CDRS 3.0 viewsets under Viewperf 5.0, an industry-standard OpenGL graphics performance benchmark (available at
http://www.specbench.org
). On DX, the 6300 turned in an impressive frames-per-second score of 5.80. Using the CDRS viewset, the system returned a 36.54 rating. These scores handily beat comparably priced systems reviewed in the December 1996 BYTE and Intergraph's dual-Pentium II 266-MHz TD225 (see "3-D Price Breakthrough," June BYTE). The 6300 is simply the fastest x86 graphics system we've tested to date.
The secret to its stunning performance is Diamond Multimedia's latest high-end graphics card, the Fire GL 4000. With 15 MB of RAM for frames and z-buffering and another 16 MB for texture buffering, combining the Fire GL 4000 with the 300-MHz Pentium II is akin to strapping a missile to a rocket.
At $12,600, the 6300 is pricey and clearly in a different category than the PowerMate. More than a third of the cost is due to the Fire GL 4000 board and the 21-inch monitor. But if uncompromised high-perf
ormance 3-D graphics is your goal, the 6300 is a bargain.
Office Champ
NEC set out to demonstrate that you can inject a 300-MHz Pentium II into a serious business PC without
breaking the budget
-- and it succeeded. The test PowerMate came with 64 MB of RAM, a 3.2-GB IDE hard drive, a 16X CD-ROM drive, and Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 3. The machine had an integrated sound system but no network interface. Still, it pushes practical office workstations about as far as they can go today.
Scoring 4.25 on the BYTEmark integer tests (4.95 on the FPU tests), the PowerMate finished in a virtual dead heat with the 6300, which isn't surprising considering that at the CPU level, both machines are essentially the same.
Bapco and Viewperf benchmark results, however, differed markedly. The PowerMate's video chores were handled by Number Nine's Revolution 3D graphics card ($449), which came loaded with 8 MB of RAM. This card is well tuned and appropriately priced for busi
ness or low-end 2-D or 3-D graphics applications.
The PowerMate adroitly executes mainstream office applications. Indeed, it beat the 6300 in all Sysmark/NT 4 categories except presentation graphics. But, as indicated by the low Viewperf CDRS and DX benchmarks, the Revolution card is nothing you'd want to design your next animated feature film on.
The PowerMate is a powerful business machine with enough horsepower to pinch-hit as a low-end graphics workstation. With an estimated price of $4625, including a 17-inch monitor, it gets you to the 300-MHz arena without breaking your budget.
Where to Find
Compaq Professional Workstation 6300..............$12,600
Compaq Computer Corp.
Houston, TX
Phone: 800-345-1518
Phone: 281-514-0484
Fax: 281-514-1740
Internet:
http://www.compaq.com
Enter 1020 on Inquiry Card.
NEC PowerMate Professional........................$ 4,625
(estimated price)
NEC Computer Systems Division
Mountain View, CA
Phone: 800-632-4565
Phone: 508-264-8000
Fax: 508-635-4666
Internet:
http://www.nec-computers.com
Enter 1021 on Inquiry Card.
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Robert L. Hummel is an electrical engineer, programmer, and consultant. You can reach him at
rhummel@cheshire.net
.
The Pentium II Soars to 300 MHz
