Silicon Graphics Unveils a Low-Cost Color Workstation

Silicon Graphics Inc., in an ambitious effort to break out of its high-end niche, has launched a “personal computer-like” color workstation that foreshadows a new generation of high-powered desktop computers.

The system, which sells for about $10,000, has many of the capabilities normally associated with sophisticated engineering workstations but is targeted at professionals in the design, entertainment and financial services industries.

Mountain View, Calif.-based Silicon Graphics is one of the founding members of a 40-company consortia, the Advanced Computing Environment (ACE), formed earlier this year to create standards for a new generation of high-powered personal computers. The recently formed alliance between International Business Machines and Apple Computer has a similar objective. Sun Microsystems and Next Computer are also targeting that market.

With its new machines, Silicon Graphics is going head-to-head with Sun and Next while also trying to get out front with one of the first systems that meets the basic ACE specifications. Software and hardware that fully implement the ACE design will not be ready until next year.

Silicon Graphics has traditionally focused on high-performance graphics workstations that are priced as high as $100,000. Chief Executive Edward R. McCracken said he hopes that the new low-cost system will triple the company’s unit volume over the next year.

“The PC market has run its course--it’s time for a new kind of product,” McCracken said. The new workstation features much better speed, color graphics, sound and video capabilities than a traditional PC, though it does not yet have the wide range of software packages available for PCs.