matplotlib Code

#!/usr/bin/env python
"""
N       Classic     Base renderer    Ext renderer
20       0.22           0.14            0.14
100      0.16           0.14            0.13
1000     0.45           0.26            0.17
10000    3.30           1.31            0.53
50000    19.30          6.53            1.98
"""
from pylab import *

import time


for N in (20,100,1000,10000,50000):
    tstart = time.time()
    x = 0.9*rand(N)
    y = 0.9*rand(N)
    s = 20*rand(N)
    scatter(x,y,s)
    #savefig('scatter_demo')
    print '%d symbols in %1.2f s' % (N, time.time()-tstart)