FREMONT, Calif.-- February 8, 2000 -- Moving quickly to support Intel® Corp.'s announcement today of its new Communication and Network Riser (CNR) interface specification for personal computer motherboards, Cirrus Logic Inc. (NASDAQ:CRUS) unveiled its CNR audio reference design board. Deployed to support the use of the popular Crystal® AC 97-compliant audio codecs in a CNR-compatible design, the immediate availability of the new reference board highlights Cirrus Logic's commitment to maintain its worldwide market leadership in audio ICs.

According to research firms Forward Concepts and Mercury Research, Cirrus Logic is the market leader in PC audio. Cirrus Logic's Crystal audio line provides the market's broadest audio IC portfolio, superior PC audio quality (20-bit DACs vs. 16-bit), and leading PC features such as built-in connections to consumer electronics equipment via the Sony/Philips Digital Interface (S/PDIF).

The reference design board, which features software drivers for all major Intel-compatible operating systems, will enable computer OEMs to swiftly evaluate Cirrus Logic audio solutions working in tandem with the new motherboard interface. As a result, OEMs can slash the time needed to roll out new desktop computers that combine the latest Pentium processor speeds with the industry's highest quality audio performance, according to Keith Essency, vice president and general manager of Cirrus Logic's Crystal Computer Audio Division.

"Our immediate introduction of a CNR reference board reflects the depth of Cirrus Logic's support for ongoing advances in Intel® architecture, and for the time-to-market requirements of our mutual customer base, said Essency. "It's a level of support we intend to maintain so that Cirrus Logic and Intel can continue to help PC manufacturers deliver high-value multimedia capabilities for consumers and business users."

"We are pleased that Cirrus Logic is working with Intel on CNR validation efforts," said Tom Matson, director of marketing for Intel's OEM Platform Solutions Division. "Intel and Cirrus Logic worked to bring soft audio to the PC platform, and CNR is the next step in creating design flexibility that easily accommodates the advanced capability found in audio solutions like those from Cirrus Logic."

Cirrus Logic's Crystal Audio Solutions

Cirrus Logic's Crystal audio chip solutions lead the market in audio quality and system-level integration. For PC audio, the Crystal product line includes a complete line of stereo audio codecs, audio subsystems, PCI audio accelerators, and wavetable music synthesizers. The devices are targeted primarily at PCs, workstations, and other computer technology-based products.

Cirrus Logic's multimedia audio products are true systems in silicon that feature software support for all major operating systems, as well as compliance with DVD, Dolby Digital AC-3, PC 98, AC '97 and other state-of-the-art audio formats.

Applications include CD-quality audio for desktop and portable computers, high-speed modems, PC-based multichannel audio recording and editing, music and sound-effect synthesizers, and speech recognition and synthesis.

Cirrus Logic Inc.

Cirrus Logic is a premier supplier of high-performance analog circuits and advanced mixed-signal chip solutions. The company's products, sold under its own name and the Crystal product brand, enable system-level applications in mass storage, audio, and precision data conversion. Additional information about Cirrus Logic is available at www.cirrus.com.