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S3 Tries to Get Back Into PC Graphics

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the pixels-and-polygons-and-processors-oh-my dept.

mikemuch writes "ExtremeTech has a review of S3's attempt to get some traction in the lower-end graphics card market, the Chrome S27. Though its specs look great--256MB memory, 700MHz core clock rate, 1.4GHz memory clock, and 22.4 GB/sec memory throughput, it still manages to underperform similarly priced video cards from the red and green graphics companies."

4 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. Free advice to S3... by Pooh22 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Supply full GPL/BSD licensed source code to the X.org and kernel.org for inclusion in mainline. That will trigger a lot of positive support.

    Besides, I don't really see a downside, because who, besides free software lovers, would be motivated to buy something non-nvidia and non-ati at this point?

    Cheers

    Simon

    1. Re:Free advice to S3... by ZachPruckowski · · Score: 5, Insightful

      If they made Mac video card drivers, people might be tempted, simply because there are so few Mac video cards out there. But I think the general sentiment has to be not to compete first in the Windows DirectX performance crown arena, but rather solidify niche markets to make money for R&D.

  2. Gimme open drivers!! by Beetjebrak · · Score: 5, Insightful

    With the advent of xgl, compiz etc. we really NEED a decent 3D card with open drivers on Linux. I couldn't care less about gaming but xgl sure as hell looks awesome! I don't need a full-blown NVIDIA or ATI card for that. Open your drivers S3 and I promise you I'll be buying at least 6 of these cards as they become available.

    --
    Learn from the mistakes of others. There isn't enough time to make them all yourself.
  3. New name, same old story. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is what, the third or fourth time S3 has tried to 'make a comeback' in the graphics market? It always seems to happen the same way. Big price features in a small price card! While the hardware might be ok, and compete on the low end.. The drivers never seem to catch up. This is what the big players have. An established codebase for drivers that gets tweaked each time a new chip comes out.

    Predictions for new S3-super-thinamagig:

    1. Early previews from hardware review sites- "Shows promise!" "Should compete at entry level" "Good for casual gamers." Drivers will be buggy.

    2. Card released many months after initial previews. What was mid grade is now low end, and card doesn't look so hot against current competitors. Drivers still buggy. S3 promises bug fixes and performance improvements.

    3. Several off brand Taiwanese manufactures will make cards featureing new S3 chip. Cards will quickly be relegated to bargain basement prices in retail and online shops. Mobile versions of chips will be found in cheap low-end laptops and versions of the core will be seen integrated in to via chipsets for cheap onboard video. Drivers still buggy.

    4. S3 continues product line and no longer updates drivers. (Drivers still buggy.)

    With any luck S3 will do better than their previous attempts, but they've got a lot to prove. In all likelihood, this will go the way of the S3 savage, S3 chrome, trident cyberblade, XGI volari, powervr2, and powervr KYRO.