[March 13, 2013]

SPECapc Releases All-New Benchmark for Systems Running SolidWorks 2013

SPEC's Application Performance Characterization (SPECapc) project group has released all-new performance evaluation software for systems running Dassault Systemes' (News - Alert) SolidWorks 2013 CAD/CAM application.

SPECapc for SolidWorks 2013 includes 10 new models, each of which is exercised with 12 tests. Models were selected from the SolidWorks user community, with an emphasis on real-world datasets that can be distributed in the public domain.

The 10 graphics-oriented tests in SPECapc for SolidWorks 2013 use three SolidWorks view settings -- RealView, ambient occlusion and shadows -- in combination with shaded and shaded-with-edges display styles. The two CPU tests within the benchmark include tessellation and PhotoView360 rendering.

The benchmark generates individual scores for each test and computes composite scores for graphics and CPU performance.

"We're pleased to offer this completely new benchmark that provides deep insight into the performance of systems running SolidWorks 2013," says Allen Jensen, SPECapc chair. "Vendors can use this to optimize performance for systems running SolidWorks 2013 and users can employ it to make better-informed buying decisions for components and OE systems."

Available now under new pricing

SPECapc for SolidWorks 2013 is available immediately on the SPEC website (www.spec.org/gwpg). It is designed for Microsoft (News - Alert) Windows 7 64-bit platforms.

The benchmark is the first to be offered under a new two-tiered pricing structure: free for non-commercial users and $2,500 for commercial entities. Commercial entities are defined as organizations using the benchmark for the purpose of marketing, developing, consulting for and/or selling computers, computer services, graphics devices, drivers or other systems in the computer marketplace.

"The new pricing structure extends our practice of offering free benchmarks to encourage widespread adoption of performance evaluation tools within the user community," says Paul Besl, chair of SPECapc's parent group, SPEC's Graphics and Workstation Performance Group (SPEC/GWPG). "But it also acknowledges the need for commercial entities that benefit from using our benchmarks for new product development and marketing to share development and distribution costs."

SPECapc thanks AMD (News - Alert), Silvio Arcanjo, Verislav Murdrak, Fateh Merrad and Zoran Storic for allowing their SolidWorks models to be distributed for benchmarking purposes.

About SPECapc

SPECapc was formed in 1997 to address performance evaluation based on popular workstation applications. Current members include AMD, Dell, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard (News - Alert), Intel, Lenovo, NEC and NVIDIA. SPECapc is part of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corp. (SPEC), 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 computers. For more information, visit: www.spec.org.

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