Sap5-Framestore-webGenArts has announced that Sapphire5 will be available for Autodesk users in the first quarter of 2010, boasting hugely improved performance over Version 4.  Most of the improvements come from GPU-accelerated algorithms and much improved floating-point support.

Faster Render Speeds
Fully GPU-enabled to provide artists with a completely interactive user experience at HD resolutions and beyond and renders up to 700% faster.

Floating Point Support
Delivers true photorealistic image quality with the highest possible dynamic range.

Fully Interactive at HD Resolutions
Enables artists to push the bounds of their imagination, even in client attended sessions, without intrusive pauses for screen refresh.

See the performance benchmarks on their website.

GenArts Sapphire 5 for Autodesk Systems.