New two-tier price structure introduced, separating non-commercial and commercial uses of the test.

SPEC.org has introduced a new performance evaluation for computers based on SolidWorks 2013. The latest edition of SPECapc for SolidWorks 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. It is designed for Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit platforms, and is immediately available from the SPECapc website.

New pricing

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, Silvio Arcanjo, Verislav Murdrak, Fateh Merrad and Zoran Storic for allowing their SolidWorks models to be distributed for benchmarking purposes.