S3 unveils low-cost DirectX 10 graphics card ... approx $60

[shadow2get]

Source

S3 unveils low-cost DirectX 10 graphics card
Monday, February 25, 2008 15:13

San Francisco (CA) – S3 is a little late to the party with its first DirectX10 graphics card, but there may a be a good reason for some users to take a look at the low-cost Chrome 400.




S3 originally had announced a DirectX10 capable card at Computex Taipei 2005, with the intention to be the first company to offer that feature to consumers. In the end, Nvidia was first out of the gate with its DirectX10-supporting GeForce 8800 series (G80 core). S3 ended up ditching its XD2/D2, which had been scheduled for a Q3 2006 launch.

It took the company some time to catch up: After dropping the 90 nm XD2/D2 parts, S3 focused on the transition to a 65 nm manufacturing process and is now ready to release its Chrome 400, code-named XD3/D3.

Besides the fact that S3 now has a DirectX 10 card (which should be selling for as low as $60) as well, there is interesting feature that trumps Nvidia’s current flagship card. The Chrome 400 supports a native HDMI interface in the same manner as ATI’s HD2000 and HD3000 series (audio is delivered through a PCI Express interface) as well as Dual-Link DVI to HDMI operation. This feature could turn out to be a cheap way to run Full HD (1080p) video on a fancy 26” or 30” LCD – something you can’t do if you run a $400+ GeForce 8800GTX or 8800 Ultra card.

The fact that the Chrome 400 can be passively cooled may also make it an interesting alternative to graphics chipsets and an option for home entertainment PC (HTPC).

Not bad for an entry Level DX10 card ... with HDMI output ... @ abt (60$) Rs. 2400.

[Count Dracula]

Awesome.But every game is being optimised for Nvidia .This is more like for movie watchers and frequent gamers.

[Gigacore]

nvidia rocks!

[gxsaurav]

Originally Posted by Count Dracula

Awesome.But every game is being optimised for Nvidia .This is more like for movie watchers and frequent gamers.

Those days are over, means optimising a game for nvidia cards only is over now. If a game is made in DX 10 it will give same quality over all DX 10 graphics card, performance will differ though.

[The_Devil_Himself]

^^"the way its meant to be played,Nvidia".

not for gaming but excellent for HTPC's.

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

Those days are over, means optimising a game for nvidia cards only is over now. If a game is made in DX 10 it will give same quality over all DX 10 graphics card, performance will differ though.

and its already been proved that ATi is slowly starting to better nVidia.

besides, most card manufacturers have a simple basic flaw: they concentrate on DirectX 10.1 implementation to the largest possible extent, at the same time forgetting OpenGL. Thats why some low end cards from nVidia and ATi have shown poor performance in games like Quake 4 and Doom 3 compared to even Intel Onboard.

[gxsaurav]

^^"the way its meant to be played,Nvidia".

That was once a reality, games optimized for nVidai architecture. Here is the thing, any card manufacturer can decide how to do thing, just that to be called a DirectX 10 certified they must do each & everything DirectX 10 asks for.

Originally Posted by MetalheadGautham

and its already been proved that ATi is slowly starting to better nVidia.

I have pwned U & Help is here already once about this, don't start again. Just cos AMD has open source drivers due to marketing reasons doesn't make AMD better then nVidia over night. AMD cards are known for there power hungry status & they even heat up a lot.

they concentrate on DirectX 10.1 implementation to the largest possible extent, at the same time forgetting OpenGL.

Holy F***, plz....plz gautam, leave this forum right now, & chullu bhar pani main doob mar

Thats why some low end cards from nVidia and ATi have shown poor performance in games like Quake 4 and Doom 3 compared to even Intel Onboard.

Couldn't it be that OpenGL needs to be optimised of Windows & the hardware it is running on while DirectX is already optimised for Windows.

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

That was once a reality, games optimized for nVidai architecture. Here is the thing, any card manufacturer can decide how to do thing, just that to be called a DirectX 10 certified they must do each & everything DirectX 10 asks for.





I have pwned U & Help is here already once about this, don't start again. Just cos AMD has open source drivers due to marketing reasons doesn't make AMD better then nVidia over night. AMD cards are known for there power hungry status & they even heat up a lot.



Holy F***, plz....plz gautam, leave this forum right now, & chullu bhar pani main doob mar



Couldn't it be that OpenGL needs to be optimised of Windows & the hardware it is running on while DirectX is already optimised for Windows.

1 .....

2. AMD has no OpenSource drivers as of now. ATi Sucks on Linux. I will never buy it for the same reason. I suggested it as most of you guys use windows. Don't rubbish this thread with silly talks

3. don't try to start another flame war for fueling your fanboyism. I stopped mine long back.

4. OpenGL has been repetedly optimised again and again. Its really powerful and available on multiple platforms. Please don't talk rubbish without learning to look. Infact, thanks to the natur of its drivers, OpenGL can perform much better than DirectX(opengl drivers can be compiled on one's system, a feature M$ has forgotton to include in DirectX)

And please don't forget the fact that DirectX 10.1 and DirectX 10 have a very limited scope due to being limited to a single OS. You wouldn't find this type of problem with OpenGL. Weather old OS or new OS. All of them can have support for OpenGL.

Why do you always over do it with your M$ talks ? Each time someone critizises M$ products even slightly, for purely technical reasons, you start to take offence for it. Sheesh. What people are there these days...

Do you want to Join Prakash, your arch enemy, in Miserable User List ?
There, both of you can argue without disturbing the peace and tranquility of this forum.

[kalpik]

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

That was once a reality, games optimized for nVidai architecture. Here is the thing, any card manufacturer can decide how to do thing, just that to be called a DirectX 10 certified they must do each & everything DirectX 10 asks for.





I have pwned U & Help is here already once about this, don't start again. Just cos AMD has open source drivers due to marketing reasons doesn't make AMD better then nVidia over night. AMD cards are known for there power hungry status & they even heat up a lot.



Holy F***, plz....plz gautam, leave this forum right now, & chullu bhar pani main doob mar



Couldn't it be that OpenGL needs to be optimised of Windows & the hardware it is running on while DirectX is already optimised for Windows.

GX, This post was unnecessary and provocative. YOU have started it this time.

@all: Keep the discussion on-topic.

[gxsaurav]

Originally Posted by MetalheadGautham

4. OpenGL has been repetedly optimised again and again. Its really powerful and available on multiple platforms. Please don't talk rubbish without learning to look. Infact, thanks to the natur of its drivers, OpenGL can perform much better than DirectX(opengl drivers can be compiled on one's system, a feature M$ has forgotton to include in DirectX)

First, OpenGL is not a driver, it is an API just like DirectX. OpenGL drives can be compiled on Linux for the system like you compile any other software on Linux. In case of Windows both DirectX & OpenGL drivers are compiled by the graphics card manufacturer & Microsoft has nothing to do with it. Stop spreading FUD. Ever heard of XNA Game platform? DirectX 10 libraries in Windows Vista are already compiled & optimized during the installation process of Windows Vista.

You wouldn't find this type of problem with OpenGL. Weather old OS or new OS. All of them can have support for OpenGL.

Sure, Plz support OpenGL 2.1 on Windows 98 & Mandrake Linux 2001 then come back & say this here.

Each time someone critizises M$ products even slightly, for purely technical reasons, you start to take offence for it.

Because the so called technical reasons given are wrong & FUD.

[MetalheadGautham]

@kalpik: check PM.

Ontopic: Aren't there already many sub 2.4k DX 10 graphics cards ? How is this benifitial excluding HDMI ? Is it really good at gaming or something ?

@SAURAV: ................................. ......................... .................................. ****

[gxsaurav]

Originally Posted by kalpik

GX, This post was unnecessary and provocative. YOU have started it this time.

The first & last para are relevent to the topic while the middle paras are irrelevent cos i was not able to control my laughter. Sorry, I will not laugh at the ignorance of others.

[PCWORM]

@gx_saurav
i just wanted 2 say one thing friend.. if Opengl was not so happening then sony corp. wouldnt have implemented it in the PS3!!

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by PCWORM

@gx_saurav
i just wanted 2 say one thing friend.. if Opengl was not so happening then sony corp. wouldnt have implemented it in the PS3!!

solid point. Lets see all of saurav's likes:

1. Xbox 360 - had to loose out for supporting HD-DVDs and sucks compared to the PS3

2. Window$ Pi$ta - The next best thing after Window$ ME

3. DirectX - Not at all cross platform. Game devs will earn much less on this compared to OpenGL

4. M$O - For a hand full of gimmikery and a few novelities added, he thinks its a must buy


Now he is starting to pick up a topic and argue just because all the other topics have been delt with in the past 24 hours already. So he can't stop all his fanboyism, and hence decides to find arguements in a different topic, Graphics Cards. Heaven Knows what he is thinking of doing with starting a flame war over an innocent graphics card, but..... WHO CARES ?

[gxsaurav]

This is what Kalpik said

GX, This post was unnecessary and provocative. YOU have started it this time.

@all: Keep the discussion on-topic.

If he gives me permission to go off topic & reveal the truth to you guys, then sure....let me know.

1. Xbox 360 - had to loose out for supporting HD-DVDs and sucks compared to the PS3

2. Window$ Pi$ta - The next best thing after Window$ ME

3. DirectX - Not at all cross platform. Game devs will earn much less on this compared to OpenGL

4. M$O - For a hand full of gimmikery and a few novelities added, he thinks its a must buy


Now he is starting to pick up a topic and argue just because all the other topics have been delt with in the past 24 hours already. So he can't stop all his fanboyism, and hence decides to find arguements in a different topic, Graphics Cards. Heaven Knows what he is thinking of doing with starting a flame war over an innocent graphics card, but..... WHO CARES ?

Is that provokation?

[MetalheadGautham]

Originally Posted by gx_saurav

This is what Kalpik said



If he gives me permission to go off topic & reveal the truth to you guys, then sure....let me know.



Is that provokation?

OK, you win. But that came out only because of

The first & last para are relevent to the topic while the middle paras are irrelevent cos i was not able to control my laughter. Sorry, I will not laugh at the ignorance of others.

where you again tried to provoke me.

Lets call it quits
for now

[FilledVoid]

3. DirectX - Not at all cross platform. Game devs will earn much less on this compared to OpenGL

Yes game developers seem to be doing fine at the moment. Do you have any kind of statistics that runs a comparison of DirectX and OpenGL.

4. M$O - For a hand full of gimmikery and a few novelities added, he thinks its a must buy

Yesterday I installed MS-Office 2007 and I must say I'm impressed. Starting time compared to the earlier products is astoundingly amazing. I might run a review soon. The only thing I had a problem with is getting used to the UI because Im pretty used to the MS Office 2000 UI.

To top all of these all. What does any of this have to do with the topic?