PLX Gen 2 Switch Screams Between Earth-Shattering ATI Radeon Dual-GPUs

PCI Express Chip Provides High-Performance Connectivity on New Premium ATI Radeon™ HD 4870 X2 Graphics Card

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- August 25, 2008 -- PLX Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLXT), the leading global supplier of PCI Express® (PCIe®) switch and bridge silicon, today announced its PEX 8647 PCIe Gen 2 switch has been chosen to provide high-performance, peer-to-peer fan-out operation on the new flagship ATI Radeon™ HD 4870 X2 Dual-GPU graphics card from AMD (NYSE:AMD). The innovative, high-performance ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2, recently released and targeting eager extreme-video game fans, offers superior graphics execution via the industry’s fastest card utilizing two GPUs on a single board and further enhanced with ATI CrossFireX™ technology.

The ExpressLane™ PEX 8647 switch, now officially launched, is specifically designed for demanding graphics applications. The device is a 48-lane, three-port, PCI Express Gen 2 (5.0 GT/s)-compliant switch featuring large packet memory, low power management and cut-thru architecture for low latency – aspects that boost performance and are ideal for the cutting-edge graphics industry. The PEX 8647, with three x16 ports to allow for the optimal configuration of graphics applications, also offers PLX’s unique array of performance-maximizing features such as Dual Cast™, which provides simultaneous copying of data from one ingress port to two egress ports, as well as a special software/hardware development kit that enables system designers to fine-tune and perform system diagnostics, thus accelerating the engineering design process.

“The ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 graphics card, supported by the PLX PEX 8647 PCIe Gen 2 switch, has demonstrated exemplary performance in today’s top intensive computer games,” said Rick Bergman, senior vice president and general manager, graphics product group, AMD. “AMD chose the PLX chip for its industry-leading features, allowing high-bandwidth, peer-to-peer communication between two powerful, next-generation Radeon graphics processors. The PEX 8647 switch has provided AMD with enhanced flexibility and performance in our designs. Additionally, PLX’s technical proficiency and top-notch customer experience has been a great asset in helping us create the ground-breaking ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 graphics card.”

“The high-end graphics space is unique in that traditional buying factors, such as price, are secondary to innovation and performance,” said Jim McGregor, research director and principal analyst at In-Stat. “Applying high-lane-count PCI Express Gen 2 switching technology to two industry-leading graphics processing units on a single card, as AMD and PLX are proving in the ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2, places performance squarely at the heart of designs that allow game and other software developers to take the user experience to a new level.”

“PLX has maintained market leadership in PCIe since its inception, while delivering high-performance chips supporting graphics cards dating back to pre-PCI Express bridging products that helped to spawn today’s superior Gen 2 switch architectures,” said David Raun, vice president of marketing and business development, PLX. “We are very pleased to be supporting the high standards and key product development needs of AMD and look forward to building on this success.”

Available Now in Volume

The PEX 8647 is in full production today and shipping in volume quantities. PLX’s PCIe switches provide board and system designers with the industry’s most extensive and proven lineup of products ranging in density from three to 16 ports and from four to 48 lanes. For detailed information on the entire ExpressLane switch family, please visit www.plxtech.com/pcie or contact sales at www.plxtech.com/contact.

About PLX

PLX Technology, Inc., based in Sunnyvale, Calif., USA, is the world’s leading supplier of PCI Express and other standard I/O interconnect semiconductors to the communications, server, storage, embedded-control, and consumer markets. The company provides a competitive advantage through an integrated combination of experience, high-performance silicon, hardware and software design tools, and global partnerships. These innovative solutions enable our customers to develop equipment with industry-leading performance, scalability and reliability that allows them to bring designs to market faster.