S3 DeltaChrome S8 Graphics Card Review

Hexus has reviewed the S3 DeltaChrome S8 graphics card:

S3, a name that is a blast from the past, intend to change the status quo. Users may have fond memories of S3 as an innovator (S3TC texture compression) and manufacturer of decent GPUs up until the year 2000. NVIDIA’s GeForce range took graphical processing to a new level and ATI subsequently got back in the power game with its Radeon 8500 GPU. S3 fell by the wayside, unable to compete, and was swallowed up by none other than VIA. So it was a pleasant and unexpected surprise to hear that S3 planned on releasing a midrange DX9-compliant 3D accelerator under the banner of DeltaChrome. Projected to compete with both ATI and NVIDIA low-to-midrange DX9 offerings, a pricing sector where each company sells GPUs by the proverbial bucketload, the DeltaChrome could be a definite turning point for S3’s graphics fortunes. We’ll take a look to see if it has enough merit to seriously worry the incumbents.

. . . We’re pleased to see a former industry heavyweight back in the scene after a marked absence. S3, however, needed to get its architecture right first time. The costs and loss of reputation for not delivering is just too high. That’s the problem right there. Ask any person who has kept an eye on comings and goings of the consumer-level 3D accelerator world over the past few years and you’ll hear just two names - ATI and NVIDIA. S3’s one advantage is that it knows the industry ropes, having been a key player just before the turn of the millennium.

HEXUS
S3 DeltaChrome S8 Graphics Card Review