Magma's Fast SPICE Simulator Delivers Better Accuracy and Faster Turnaround Time

SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 6, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Magma^® Design Automation Inc. (Nasdaq:LAVA) announced today that TSMC has selected Magma's FineSim^™ Pro for internal 65- and 40-nanometer (nm) IP development. TSMC adopted Magma's simulator after it demonstrated better accuracy and faster runtimes than traditional circuit simulation.

"FineSim Pro provides enhanced simulation performance for designing our analog blocks," said S.T. Juang, senior director, Design Infrastructure Marketing Division at TSMC. "We are able to take advantage of this performance gain while maintaining SPICE-level accuracy. This gives us a high degree of confidence in our ability to accurately predict our analog IP performance. It also eliminates unnecessary guard-banding and improves first-pass silicon success."

"TSMC's adoption of FineSim Pro is significant," said Suk Lee, general manager of Magma's Custom Design Business Unit. "Our mutual customers benefit from the more accurate correlation between the predicted design performance and actual silicon behavior. With a faster flow and more accurate silicon predictability, designers can verify their full-chip designs more thoroughly and save time by minimizing re-spins."

FineSim Pro: First to Offer Multi-CPU Support

FineSim Pro is the industry's first fast SPICE circuit simulator that supports multi-CPU simulations. It is the only simulator that performs true multi-CPU SPICE analysis. This allows for the most accurate results with the best possible throughput. FineSim Pro verifies a range of designs from large memories to large complex analog, which previously could not be practically verified in transient circuit simulators. FineSim Pro also has a separate option for IR drop and electro-migration analysis.

About Magma

Magma's software for designing integrated circuits (ICs) is used to create complex, high-performance chips required in cellular telephones, electronic games, WiFi, MP3 players, DVD/digital video, networking, automotive electronics and other electronic applications. Magma's EDA software for IC implementation, analysis, physical verification, circuit simulation and characterization is recognized as embodying the best in semiconductor technology, enabling the world's top chip companies to "Design Ahead of the Curve" ^™ while reducing design time and costs. Magma is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with offices around the world. Magma's stock trades on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol LAVA. Visit Magma Design Automation on the Web at www.magma-da.com.

Magma is a registered trademark, and FineSim and "Design Ahead of the Curve" are trademarks of Magma Design Automation Inc. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Forward-looking statements:

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters set forth in this press release including statements that FineSim Pro provides better accuracy and faster runtime than other circuit simulation products, that using FineSim Pro will accelerate TSMC's development of more predictable analog IP and other statements about the features and benefits of Magma's software and TSMC's analog IP are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including but not limited to Magma's and TSMC's abilities to keep pace with rapidly changing technology and the companies' products' abilities to produce desired results, and TSMC's decision to continue using FineSim Pro. Further discussion of these and other potential risk factors may be found in Magma's public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov). Magma undertakes no additional obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

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CONTACT: Magma Design Automation Inc.

          Monica Marmie, Director, Marketing Communications


          (408) 565-7689


          mmarmie@magma-da.com