S3 Chrome

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S3 Graphics' Chrome series of graphics accelerators arrived in 2004 with the DeltaChrome line of chips. They are designed to be used as discrete, mobile, and integrated graphics solutions.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Chrome S27 logo

In 2004, VIA attempted to re-launch the S3 Graphics name with updated discrete hardware, but performance was still far below that of NVIDIA and ATI Technologies. However, the low power requirements and high-definition output of the Chrome range make it attractive for small form factor scenarios.

The Chrome series, excluding perhaps the unreleased Savage XP/AlphaChrome, supports Direct3D 9 with full pixel shader 2.0 support.

S3's AcceleRAM technology is similar to ATI's HyperMemory and nVIDIA's TurboCache, where system RAM to supplement the video card's RAM. Furthermore, the MultiChrome technology is equivalent to ATI CrossFire and nVIDIA's SLI.

[edit] AlphaChrome

It is the first of the 'Chrome' product line, previously titled Savage XP and codenamed Zoetrope.

[edit] DeltaChrome

DeltaChrome is the first product produced by S3 Graphics, which is also its first DirectX 9 product. It supports Shader Model 2.0. Other new features included Chromotion Video Engine, dual 400MHz DAC.

[edit] GammaChrome

GammaChrome is the first native PCI Express product line by S3 Graphics. It was originally announced on 2004-3-18[1], but the product was not released until 2005-3-9.[2] Marketed as 3rd generation DirectX 9 products competing against GeForce 6600 and Radeon X600, there is little change between it and the previous generation of product, except for the updated Chromotion 2.0 engine.

Review of the product showed it was comparable to the contemporary competitors at the market segment[3], but it was never able to gain a significant market share.

[edit] GammaChrome S19

S3 originally planned GammaChrome S19 on its roadmap, but it was cancelled.

[edit] Model listing

Chronological order

Chip Code name Vertex Shaders Pipeline[1] Core clock (MHz) Memory clock (MHz) Memory interface width (bit) Notes
GammaChrome S14 Matrix 4 4/4/4 375 300 64/128
GammaChrome S18 Metropolis 4 4/4/4 300-500 300-450 64/128
GammaChrome S19 Matrix 4 8/8/8 500  ?  ?

[edit] Chrome S20

Main article: Chrome S20 series

This generation of S3 Chrome was announced on 2005-9-7[4], and released on 2005-11-3.

[edit] Chrome 400

Main article: S3 Graphics Chrome 400

VIA planned the production of 2 new graphics chips, Chrome 440 and 430, by the end of 2007. The Chrome 460 will support DirectX 10 and adopts a 90nm process, while the Chrome 430 will support DirectX 10.1 and adopts a 65nm process. Both chips will be manufactured by Fujitsu and have already entered the design verification test stage. Volume production is expected to start before the end of the year, noted the sources.[5] [6]

[edit] OmniChrome

OmniChrome is a video card with DeltaChrome S4 Pro processor, Philips 1216/1236 TV tuner, Techwell video decoder.

[edit] UniChrome

UniChrome is an updated S3 ProSavage used in VIA's integrated graphics chipsets. [2]

[edit] Chrome 9

This version is the first integrated graphics core based on the DirectX 9 cores, as S3 Graphics's attempt to pass Microsoft's Windows Vista Basic certification. A known variant is the Chrome 9 HC.

[edit] Model listing

Chronological order

Chip Release Die process (nm) Core clock (MHz) Pipeline[3] Vertex Shaders Memory clock (MHz) Memory interface width (bit) Notes
Savage XP (AlphaChrome) 6/2002 150 DDR SDRAM. Unreleased.
DeltaChrome S4 Pro mid 2004 130 300 4/4/4 2 300 128 Shader Model 2
DeltaChrome S8 mid 2004 130 300 8/8/8 4 300 128 Shader Model 2
DeltaChrome S8 Nitro mid 2004 130 315 8/8/8 4 315 128 Shader Model 2
DeltaChrome S8 ULP mid 2004 130 200 8/8/8 4 300 128 Shader Model 2
GammaChrome S18 CE 3/2005 130 400 4/4/4 4 300 128 Shader Model 2
GammaChrome S18 PRO 3/2005 130 300 4/4/4 4 300 128 Shader Model 2
Chrome S25 11/2005 90 600 4/8/8 4 400 (Max 500/500/700 for GDDR1/GDDR2/GDDR3 memory) 32/64/128 PCIe. GDDR1, GDDR2, GDDR3. AcceleRAM, MultiChrome.
Chrome S27 11/2005 90 700 4/8/8 4 700 (Max 500/500/700 for GDDR1/GDDR2/GDDR3 memory) 32/64/128 PCIe. GDDR1, GDDR2, GDDR3. AcceleRAM, MultiChrome.
Chrome 430 GT 2/2008 65 625
Shader clock at 900Mhz		 Unified Shader Architecture
(VS=PS=GS=32)
32/?/?		 32 1000(500 gDDR2) 64 DirectX 10.1, OpenGL2.1, PCIe 2.0, Shader Model 4.1, AcceleRAM, MultiChrome ,H.264、MPEG2、MPEG4、VC1、WMVHD、AVS

Notes:

  1. ^ Textures / Pixels / Z Samples Per Clock.
  2. ^ Tim Tscheblockov. "Roundup of 7 Contemporary Integrated Graphics Chipsets for Socket 478 and Socket A Platforms." X-bit labs. 6 July 2004. 3 May 2008 <http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/chipsets/display/int-chipsets-roundup_7.html>.
  3. ^ Textures / Pixels / Z Samples Per Clock.

[edit] External links

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Centaur Technology • Products of VIA Technologies • S3 Graphics
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S3 Graphics graphics processors