Press Release
                         Contact:-
                         Aston Bridgman
                         NEC Corporation
                         TEL    :81-3-3798-6511
                         FAX    :81-3-3457-7249
                         E-mail :Aston_Bridgman@HO-PRD.ccgw.nec.co.jp

*****For immediate use January 20, 1998

NEC Offers Two High Cost Performance 64-bit RISC Microprocessors

VR4310-167/VR4305-80

The microprocessors, the VR4310 (PD30210GD-167) and the VR4305 (PD30200GD-80-LBB), are designed to offer high performance solutions at a time of intense competition and price sensitivity in the consumer device and office automation equipment markets. The ability of RISC to meet demands for higher performance levels and increased functionality, means it is now the standard microprocessor architecture in the field.

The new VR4310, which will begin sampling from February 1998, features:

• A high-speed internal operating frequency of 167 MHz through use of a 0.25-micron fabrication process for a performance of 222 MIPS (millions of instructions per second), giving an extremely attractive cost-performance ratio of 9.9 yen per MIP;

• Integer performance of 100 SPECint92 and floating point performance of 75 SPECfp92; and,

• Complete compatibility with previous versions of the VR4300 architecture allowing development environments and applications to be carried over to the new chip, translating into easily achieved performance increases.

Samples of the VR4310 are priced in Japan at 5,000 yen and production volume is expected to be 100,000 units per month starting from May. In lots of 10,000 units, volume pricing is expected to be 2,200 yen each.

The VR4305 also offers high level of cost-performance benefits with :

• An 80MHz clock rate for 105 Dhrystone MIPS performance;
• Low power dissipation of 1.5 watts (W) typical at 3.3 volts, makes the processor an ideal choice for consumer applications.

Expected to be priced at 1,400 yen per unit in volumes of 10,000 units, mass production of the VR4305 is to begin from February, 1998.

About NEC's VR4300 Family

As part of its comprehensive, long-term road map, NEC's VR4300 family of microprocessors now has three members, the VR4300, VR4305 and the VR4310. These processors scale a wide range of price and performance using the versatile VR4300 architecture. Versions of the VR4300 processor are widely used in consumer and office automation applications, including the popular Nintendo 64^TM video game and advanced laser printers such as the recently announced, award-winning Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 4000 printer family.

NEC's VR Series Microprocessors

NEC licenses the MIPS RISC technology from the MIPS Group of Silicon Graphics, Inc. to design and manufacture the VR Series of high-performance microprocessors. The company offers a broad line of MIPS-based microprocessors, including the VR4102^TM, VR4111^TM, VR4300, VR4305, VR4310, VR5000^TM and VR10000^TM.

NEC, VR Series, VR4102, VR4111, VR4300,VR4305, VR4310, VRC4373, VR5000 and VR10000 are registered trademarks or trademarks of NEC Corporation in Japan, the United States and/or other countries. MIPS is a trademark of Silicon Graphics Inc., MIPS Group. Nintendo and Nintendo 64 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nintendo.

Dhrystone 2.1 values given as compared to a VAX11-780 which is rated at a value of 1 in each test. VAX11-780 is a trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation.

All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

For Main features of the VR4310/VR4305 Microprocessors, please see the attached sheet.

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