SPECviewperf 15.0.1 Linux Updated with AArch64 Support

The Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC) released the Linux version of SPECviewperf 15.0.1, a benchmark for workstation graphics performance, a few weeks ago. The new Linux Edition includes updated tests, a refreshed interface and support for Arm-based AArch64 systems. SPEC did not say exactly when the release became available; the “a few weeks ago” timing is based on the publication date of the source article.

What tests are included in the Linux package?

SPECviewperf 15.0.1 Linux Edition includes 8 of the 11 workloads in the Windows package. These cover Blender 3.6, 3DEXPERIENCE CATIA/CATIA V5, Creo 9, Maya 2025, Solidworks 2024 and NX 2406, as well as visualizations based on OpendTect and the Tuvok library.

Compared with the previous Linux release, 2020 3.0, the Blender test is a new addition. The CATIA, Creo, Maya, Solidworks and NX workloads have also been updated. The new graphical interface overhauls the controls for selecting and installing tests.

One notable installation change is that tests can be selected as individual workloads instead of installing them as one large package. This “snap-in” approach, as SPEC calls it, lets users install only the tests they need. The full package takes up around 100 GB; a selective installation can reduce the disk-space requirement.

AArch64 support and hardware coverage

Version 15.0.1 is the first release of SPECviewperf to run natively on an Arm-based architecture. The benchmark replays OpenGL traces, so its results should not be treated as equivalent to performance measurements from a full application. It provides an indication of how graphics hardware and drivers handle workloads under Linux.

According to the source, the Linux version runs on GPUs that support OpenGL 4.5. In practice, however, AMD and NVIDIA graphics processors are supported; Intel GPUs are not on the support list. Integrated graphics can also be used.

In tests conducted by ServeTheHome, Strix Halo systems based on the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 scored twice as high or more than a system based on the NVIDIA GB10 in some tests. The publication stresses that this is not an ideal hardware comparison; it is unclear how well Linux graphics performance on the GB10 system is optimized for the workloads tested. In a comparison with a more powerful desktop system, the Strix Halo machines scored around half as high as a Threadripper system with a Radeon AI Pro R9700 in most tests, but surpassed the graphics card in the NX 2406 test. These findings apply to the specific systems tested and should not be generalized to other hardware.

Use in architecture and visualization workflows

Architecture firms using Linux, visualization teams and technical groups evaluating hardware can use the new release to examine the graphics performance of compatible systems under specific workloads. The addition of the Blender test also brings a workload related to 3D production into the comparison. However, benchmark results alone do not show how quickly a particular CAD or 3D application will handle project files.

Before installation, it is worth checking GPU compatibility and the required OpenGL support, then selecting only the tests you plan to run. When comparing results from different systems, hardware and driver differences must be taken into account. The source provides no information about SPECviewperf’s price, licensing terms or compatibility with other workstation software.