Saratoga, California USA ? September 23, 2003 ? Futuremark Corporation, the leading provider of PC performance analysis software and services, today announced specific guidelines for graphics driver optimizations that yield a valid 3DMark performance reading. Some driver optimizations manipulate benchmark tests, causing results that are not comparable to those of other hardware and are thus deemed unsuitable for 3DMark usage. Drivers are an integral part of computers? display cards. They are programs that translate computer applications? instructions to the display card. Driver optimization is a rapidly evolving practice by display card manufacturers to improve their products? performance over time. Being the leading publisher of benchmark products, Futuremark has supported and continues to support the development of generic optimizations, which result in tangible benefits to all applications. When properly implemented, driver optimizations translate application instructions to the hardware in an optimal manner, without reducing or discarding any information.

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