"Samsung and Alpha Camps Poise to Push Visual Computing to the Masses"

June 17, 1997

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE) via Individual Inc. --Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. today announced that it has already shipped more than 100 samples of its 21164 Alpha processors to several customers. The parts are fully compatible with Digital Equipment Corporation's (DEC) Alpha product families, which are currently in production. Samsung will offer the Alpha 21164 in 400MHz, 433MHz, 466MHz, 500MHz and 533MHz speeds when it goes into production in August 1997. A 600MHz version, already achieved in the R&D line, will be available to OEMs shortly after August 1997. Samsung will also market 21164PC processors, which includes the motion video instruction set.

"Samsung is poised to begin volume production of its family of Alpha processors," said Dae Je Chin, Samsung's Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of System LSI Business. "We now have all the required resources in place to enable us to play a significant role in rapidly expanding the worldwide market for enterprise-wide visual computing platforms." "We are pleased to have Samsung and their world-class semiconductor manufacturing capability join with Digital to help pioneer the market for visual computing," said William Johnson, vice president business segments for Digital Semiconductor. "The availability of the Alpha 21164 processor from Samsung will help bring Alpha's unmatched performance, Windows compatibility and PC price points to PC power users within the Windows NT desktop market."

Alpha is the Ultimate Platform

The Alpha 21164 and 21164PC processors are the microprocessors of choice for any processor-intensive tasks such as 3-D rendering, MPEG-2 encoding/decoding, Dolby AC-3 surround systems, DVD processing and playback, and CAD/CAM, graphics manipulation and server applications. Digital's Motion Video Instruction set (MVI), which is included in the 21164PC, is a true 64-bit instruction "enhancement" set optimized specifically for video. MVI can accelerate the Alpha 21164 and 21164PC processors' integer and floating point performance to the level required for real-time, full-motion MPEG video. The raw power of Alpha is several generations ahead of alternative architectures. The new Alpha processors are also the first 64-bit processor to which Microsoft is porting its NT 5.0 operating system. With clock speeds and performance significantly faster than any available processors, the Alpha processors are seen as the ultimate platform for visual computing, enabling a "Jurassic Park" experience to Alpha desktop users. "We view Alpha as a key platform for workstation solutions," said David Watkins, Vice President and General Manager of Diamond Multimedia's Audio-Visual Systems Division. "We currently offer Alpha support for several of our Fire GL professional graphics accelerators. And, we plan to provide accelerated drivers for the Fire GL 4000, the newest addition to the Fire GL family, as well as for next-generation Fire GL products." Diamond's Fire GL family of professional graphics accelerators provides workstation-class performance for demanding 3D applications. Featuring hardware texture mapping, the Diamond Fire GL 1000 and Fire GL 3000 include fully optimized Alpha drivers for top 3D performance under Windows NT. Additionally, the Diamond Fire GL 3000 enhances productivity by supporting two monitors with a single PCI-based accelerator. The addition of a Fire GL accelerator to an Alpha-based system creates an affordable solution that rivals SGI workstations in performance.

Windows Compatibility

The Alpha processors are compatible with most Windows NT 32-bit applications through the use of Digital's FX!32 translation software, which is available free to all Alpha users. FX!32 will allow 32-bit NT applications to run at speeds equal to or greater than, those on a Pentium Pro. Users who wish to utilize Windows 16-bit software will be able to do so through Insignia Solution's Windows emulator. In addition, there are over 2,500 native applications available on the Alpha architecture under NT, with another 1,000 being ported now. These include high-end, 3D animation, modeling and rendering programs such as Softimage and LightWave 3D, as well as productivity programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel, and Netscape Navigator.

Pricing and Availability

The Alpha 21164 -400MHz and -500MHz are sampling now to select OEMs, with volume production beginning in August 1997, in Samsung's state-of-the-art 8-inch fabrication facility, located inKihueng, South Korea. Pricing based on production units will be separately announced in August. The Alpha 21164 product family is built using Samsung's proven 0.35 micron four-metal technology. This 0.35 micron process is based on the 0.3 micron four-metal layer technology developed by Samsung in early 1996. It provides 2.5V to 3.3V operation and is optimized for high speed, high density applications such as CPU, ultrafast SRAM and high-end ASICs.

Samsung Semiconductor

Samsung Semiconductor is a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, an $18.8 billion dollar division of the $88 billion, Korean-based, Samsung Group. Samsung's Semiconductor Division is the seventh largest semiconductor manufacturer and the leading producer of memory products in the world.

Samsung Semiconductor's North American headquarters are located in San Jose, California. Samsung was the first company to introduce the 64-Megabit DRAM and the first fully functional 256-Megabit DRAM in 1994. In November 1996, Samsung had the world's first working silicon for the 1-Gigabit DRAM. Samsung's non-memory products, called System LSI, include ASICs, microcontrollers, power devices, media products and the Alpha processor.

Note to editors:

U.S. Reader Contact: Y.J. Kim Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. San Jose, Calif. +1-408-954-6931
Worldwide Reader Contact: Syed Ali Samsung Electronics Co.,Ltd. Seoul, Korea +82-331-209-6138

Digital, the Digital logo, Alpha and Digital FX!32 are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. Samsung and the Samsung logo are trademarks of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Microsoft, Windows NT, Word and Excel are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other brand or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

CONTACT: SAMSUNG SEMICONDUCTOR, INC | Vera Haire, 408/954-7228 | or | CAIN COMMUNICATIONS, INC. | Mark Alden, 408/341-8960

[Copyright 1997, Business Wire]

Product Guide

21164 Alpha Microprocessor (KP21164)

Alpha PC 164LX Motherboard (MB164LX)

Alpha PC 164UX Motherboard (MB164UX)

Alpha PC 164BX Motherboard (MB164BX)