S3 Graphics - Products

As users look for a graphics solution to meet their multimedia and future operating system requirements, the S3 Graphics Chrome S25 stands above the pack, delivering an outstanding visual experience, comprehensive connectivity, ultra low power consumption for ergonomic fanless designs, and powerful 3D performance.

Manufactured using the latest 90nm technology from Fujitsu, the Chrome S25 features class leading core and memory clock rates, with additional support for the latest DDR3 memory. At the same time, the Chrome S25 features advanced power management features usually found only in mobile solutions, such as multi-domain dynamic clock gating. The efficient and power smart design, coupled with advanced process technology, has enabled the Chrome S25 to set new standards in desktop power/performance without feature compromise.

The Chrome S25 features the latest Chromotion Video Engine, Chromotion 3.0, enabling acceleration for all leading video standards, new features to enhance the user's Hi-Def widescreen digital media experience, and a comprehensive feature set enabling users to creatively tweak and tune their viewing experience.

The Chrome S25 also features comprehensive 3D rendering support with a high speed DirectX 9.0 graphics engine boasting 4 full precision vertex shader units and 8 full precision pixel shader units.

Featuring a high speed DirectX 9.0c graphics engine, the Chrome S25 graphics engine consists of 4 full precision vertex shader units and 8 full precision pixel shader units translating 5.6 Billion pixel shader operations per second, enabling next generation applications with lengthy, complex shaders.

Flexible memory compatibility includes full support for DDR1, cost effective DDR2, and high speed DDR3 memory technologies. With such versatility in memory support, the Chrome S25 offers a wide variety of price/performance configurations targeting the volume entry level and mainstream desktop market.

The Chrome S25 also introduces the AcceleRAM™ technology featured advanced memory support through the high speed PCI Express bus while leveraging the lower cost structure of reduced on-board memory. AcceleRAM allows ChromeS25 to operate with 32bit or 64bit wide memory interfaces with local frame buffers consisting of just one or more memory chips. AcceleRAM boards with ChromeS25 offer a smart upgrade path for cost sensitive segments.

Reflecting the company's environmental drive, the Chrome S25 is fully ROHS compliant, with lead-free readiness that makes the Chrome 25 ideal for OEM and system builders planning for systems to be sold in many global regions.

The Chrome S25 also introduces MultiChrome™ technology, an open-platform and cable/connector free multi-GPU acceleration technology. Enabled in every Chrome S25, MultiChrome will enable two or more Chrome S25 GPUs to operate in parallel to provide additional game acceleration on any motherboard with suitable physical x16 PCI Express slots.

Chrome S25 Highlight Features

PCI Express™
The Chrome 25 employs a native PCI Express (PCIe) high speed serial link implementation. It supports 16x, 8x, 4x, and 1x lane configurations.

DirectX™ 9.0c Shader Model 2.0+ Support
The Chrome 25’s hardware support for Microsoft’s DirectX 9.0c Vertex and Pixel Shaders version 2.0+ allows the latest games to leverage shaders as they create stunning visual effects using subtle texture blends along with complex lighting and material effects for a great gaming experience.

HDTV Hi-Def™ Experience
Get more value from your HDTV using the integrated Hi-Def, HDTV encoder technology, which supports all 18 DTV ATSC and DVB standards, including 1080p. In HDTV Hi-Def mode, the Chrome S25 brings the theater experience into your home for all your PC media, video games explode to life before your eyes in vivid detail, and Hi-Def corporate presentations will set new standards.

Chromotion™ 3.0 Programmable Video Engine
The advanced Chromotion 3.0 programmable video engine is fully compatible with Microsoft DirectX-VA media acceleration. Its powerful programmable video effects can be applied to almost all video codecs, including Windows Media Video 9-HD™ (WMV9-HD) and MPEG-2 HD. Post-processing filters enhance video from poor, low bit rate source materials. Real-time rendering capabilities bring video effect processing to mainstream home video enthusiasts, who can now exercise as much ArtisticLicense™ as advanced video artists.

Flexible Memory Architecture
The flexible memory architecture allows support for modern GDDR technologies (GDDR2/GDDR1 up to 500MHz and GDDR3 up to 700MHz) in configurations of 256-32MB (GDDR3/GDDR1) and 512-64MB (GDDR2) in 128-32bit interfaces.

Advanced 90nm Manufacturing Process
Manufactured using leading edge 90nm technology from Fujitsu, the Chrome S25 leverages high speed transistor technology to achieve leading performance per watt operation.

Advanced Display Technology
This advanced technology allows the capability of supporting all the leading edge display technologies; such as CRTs, single/dual DVI monitors in single/dual link mode with or without HDCP, or single/dual channel LVDS panels, TVs, and HDTVs in various combinations in independent DuoView™ or DuoRotate™ modes.

Advanced Mobile Compatibility
Advanced technologies for mobile implementations make the Chrome XM20 Series especially suited to the mobile environment. ULP (Ultra Low Power) configurations enable specific low power management modes. Dynamic clock gating allows additional power saving capabilities. S3 Graphics’ LCD PanelSharp™ Expansion ensures smooth scaling on LCD panels.

MultiChrome™ Technology
It is an open-platform and cable free multi-GPU acceleration technology. MultiChrome will enable two Chrome S25 GPUs to operate in parallel to provide additional game acceleration on any motherboard with multiple physical x16 PCIe slots as it supports a dual x8 and dual x16 PCIe configurations.

AcceleRAM™ Technology
The Chrome 25 can provide an optimal feature/price alternate solution to integrated graphics by allowing dynamic sharing of system main memory as part of the local video memory via the high speed PCIe bus using a smaller capacity/bit – width local video memory.

AcceleRAM Block Diagram

Note:
Size and width of the small Local Video Memory can be 64MB/32bit (3.2 GB/s) to 128MB/64bit (6.4 GB/s) @ 400 MHz DDR2. It can also be 64MB/64bit (8.0 GB/s) to 128MB/28 bit (16.0 GB/s) @ 500 MHz DDR3. This is all dependent upon performance requirements.

For systems prior to June 1, 2007, Microsoft Windows Vista will require 512MB of system main memory (DIMMs). Therefore, to get the Premium logo, systems will probably ship with 1.0 GB of system main memory. For systems after June 1, 2007, Windows Vista will require 1.0 GB of system main memory. Therefore, to get the Premium logo, systems will probably ship with 1.5 GB of system main memory. Anything above the memory requirements for Windows Vista, would be used as the Dynamic PCIe System Frame Buffer Memory as well as other system main memory requirements. This large system main memory requirement dramatically increases the overall system cost and necessitates the need for a great low frame buffer technology GPU.

The DDR2 @ 400 MHz (3.2 GB/s) local video memory is for a typical case in the low frame buffer market segment.
The 128bit @ 333 MHz (10.672 GB/s) system main memory is for a typical case in the mainstream market segment.