IBM today claimed the world's fastest low-end Unix workstation.

Big Blue has spruced up its RS/6000 44P Model 170 Unix workstation and reckons the additions give it nearly twice the performance of similarly configured UltraSparc-III based servers from rival Sun.

The machine comes with a speedier 450MHz Power3 II chip - IBM's copper-fuelled microprocessors - and the vendor's GXT6000P graphics card accelerator. An entry-level Model 170 will set punters back around $11,000 - with a 300MHz Power3 chip, 256MB memory, and 9GB hard drive.

The latest beasts weigh in nearer to $30,000, and come with the 450MHz Power3, up to 2GB RAM and 146GB hard drive, and are aimed at high-tech designers, such as those in the airplane and car industries.

IBM claims the Model 170 is faster than comparable Sun, Hewlett-Packard, and SGI Unix systems in key benchmarks such as SPECviewperf OpenGL industry measurements. ®

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