NEC Corp has announced the multiprocessing version of MIPS Computer Systems Inc R4000 chip, saying that samples of the VR4000 will be available next month, putting it just ahead of the field of R4000 makers which all expect to be sampling the multiprocessor version by midsummer. NEC claims performance of 70 SPECmarks, 90 MIPS, as a single chip and 235 SPECmarks, 350 MIPS in a four-chip multiprocessing module. Samples are said to be a hefty $2,190 and NEC plans to be making 10,000 of the things a month when volume shipments start in May.NEC has also extended its technical agreement with MIPS, first signed in March 1989 for five years, to run for another five-year spell and running out in March 1999.
