Computex 2001 Exclusive: New Graphics Chips from SiS and Trident

Introduction

We had only one day left until the end of Computex 2001 , but our work never seemed to end. It was worth it. We managed to get you the scoop on AMD's 760MP , NVIDIA's nForce , and even a breakthrough on Tualatin .

So, how could we resist reviewing two new 3D graphics chips which weren't stamped either NVIDIA or ATI? We headed for lab in Taipei, and had less than a day to give the SiS 315 and Trident Blade XP a run through our benchmark tests.

NVIDIA's pace in introducing new technology is giving the industry a hard time so, Trident and SiS are both trying to gain market share by concentrating on a strong price/performance ratio - they don't even try to compete with NVIDIA or ATI in the mid or high-end sectors of the market. As a result, although you won't find these chips a must have for hard core gaming, or high-end industrial design, they do offer an attractive price, and a very strong focus on a particular segment of the market. We categorize Trident's Blade XP and the SiS 315 as both targeting NVIDIA's MX 200 as well as ATI's Radeon VE. Definitely worth taking a look at how these two chips perform.