THIS IS THE FULL TEXT.

Business Wire, April 8, 1997, Tuesday

3Dlabs Inc. (NASDAQ:TDDDF) today announced that it has once again dramatically enhanced the OpenGL performance of its GLINT 3D graphics processors through proprietary software enhancements to 3Dlabs' OpenGL installable client driver (ICD).

The new drivers increase GLINT's Viewperf benchmark figures by up to 30%, as shown by new Viewperf figures posted to the OPC web site yesterday. Performance figures posted by Intel (INTC.O) for a Dell Dimension system with an Omnicomp GLINT 500TX-based board achieve the industry's best price/performance figures.

A GLINT 500TX board including the GLINT Delta geometry setup processor, running on a NeTpower 200MHz Pentium Pro, delivered a CDRS Viewperf benchmark score of 20.48 at true color depths, surpassing the performance of comparable systems. Other benchmarked graphics boards included the Intergraph Intense 3D-T Pro 1000 (with a CDRS score of 19.59) and the Dynamic Pictures' Oxygen 202 (with a CDRS score of 14.94) -- all running on Intel 200MHz Pentium Pro systems.

The GLINT 500TX-based system also out-performed Silicon Graphics' O2 workstations, which offer CDRS benchmark scores ranging from 10.9 to 17.24, depending on system configuration and pricing. The MaxVision Alpha-based Symbion AXP164A system with a GLINT 500TX-based Glmax88T board achieved CDRS figures of 25.26.

The same GLINT-based system also delivered a Data Explorer Viewperf benchmark figure of 4.52, easily exceeding figures posted by Intergraph's Intense 3D-T Pro of 3.51, and by Dynamic Pictures' Oxygen 202 of 2.72. The GLINT 500TX-based system also out-performed Silicon Graphics' O2 workstations, which have Data Explorer benchmark figures ranging from 2.3 to 2.88, depending on system configuration and pricing.

The dollar composite figures for the CDRS benchmarks, which measure the cost-effectiveness of various graphics solutions, show that a Dell Dimension XPS Pro 200n system with an Omnicomp 3Demon Pro88 GLINT-based board leads the industry with a score of $ 224, compared with $ 281 for a comparable system based on Intergraph's Intense 3D-T Pro 1000, $ 343 for Dynamic Pictures' Oxygen 202 and $ 362 for Dynamic Pictures' Oxygen 202.

These OpenGL ICD software enhancements have already been delivered to 3Dlabs' OpenGL source licensees and are expected to be delivered in binary form to all 3Dlabs' OEMs and system customers in the first half of 1997. Quotes "3Dlabs is committed to providing the best OpenGL acceleration available on the Windows platform," said James Carrington, director of product marketing at 3Dlabs. "These continuing performance enhancements reflect the commitment we have to provide value for our customers and end-users by delivering excellent driver software, as well as excellent silicon."

"3Dlabs has consistently pioneered high-performance, professional 3D graphics on the Intel Architecture platform," said Andre Wolper, director of workstation industry marketing for Intel. "3Dlabs' continuing efforts strengthen the viability of the Pentium Pro processor as the leading choice for users of professional 3D." About "Viewperf" The OpenGL Performance Characterization (OPC) Group, a working group of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC), administers the development and usage guidelines for the Viewperf benchmarks. Viewperf benchmark results are driven by real-world platform-neutral data sets submitted by independent software vendors such as Parametric Technology, Alias/Wavefront and Lightscape Technologies.

The CDRS benchmark is based on Parametric Technology's CDRS conceptual design product. The Data Explorer benchmark is based on IBM's scientific visualization product. OPC members review Viewperf benchmark submissions before they are approved for publication on http://www.specbench.org/gpc/opc.static/index.html, the official OPC web site. The performance data in this press release is based on official Viewperf figures posted to the OPC web site in early April 1997. GLINT Background Information GLINT graphics processors provide workstation-class 3D functionality and performance, fully integrated with fast 2D Windows acceleration. GLINT-based boards support OpenGL, Direct3D, Heidi and QuickDraw 3D. 3Dlabs' merchant silicon products ship with an OpenGL Installable Client Driver, providing highly-optimized and fully-compliant OpenGL performance, integrated seamlessly with Microsoft Windows NT and Windows 95.

GLINT 500TX is the second-generation GLINT processor that supports high-resolution displays up to 2Kx2K at 32 bits, large texture memories up to 32 Mbytes, deep 32 bit color and Z buffers, and accelerates 100% of OpenGL rendering operations in silicon -- including advanced texture-mapping, anti-aliasing, stenciling and alpha blending. GLINT-based boards are typically used for accelerating professional applications such as mechanical CAD, multimedia authoring, geographic information systems and digital editing. Company Information Founded in 1994, 3Dlabs is a leading innovator and a fabless supplier of high-performance graphics semiconductors, software and related technologies designed to bring cost-effective 3D graphics to the personal computer. The Company has introduced five 3D graphics processors over the last two years with price, performance and functionality designed to meet the needs of different 3D market segments on the PC.

The Company markets and sells its award-winning merchant 3D graphics processors to PC and graphics board OEM customers and selectively licenses its embeddable graphics processor cores on a royalty-bearing basis to strategic technology partners such as Texas Instruments. Companies using 3Dlabs' graphics processors in their computers include Compaq, Digital Equipment Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, MaxVision, NEC, NeTpower and Siemens. Leading board vendors using 3Dlabs' graphics processors include AccelGraphics, Creative Labs, Diamond Multimedia, Elsa, Omnicomp and Symmetric. -0-

Except for historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release, such as statements relating to the company's ability to drive technological developments with the company's growth and expansion into markets, and the ability of the company to successfully integrate new technologies, are forward looking statements that are subject to risk and uncertainties, including the ability of the company to continue to obtain design wins for its products; the success of the company's customers in achieving sustained demand for systems incorporating the company's products; the impact of competitive products and pricing and of alternative technological advances; the timely and successful development and market acceptance of new products and upgrades to existing products, and other risks detailed from time-to-time in 3Dlabs' SEC reports. -0-

Note to Editors: 3Dlabs and GLINT are registered trademarks and PERMEDIA is a trademark of 3Dlabs Inc. Ltd. Microsoft, Windows and Direct3D are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. OpenGL is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation. All other trademarks are acknowledged and recognized.