X-bit labs

S3 Chrome S27 Graphics Processor Review: Worthy Performance for Its Class? (page 20)

Category: Video

by Alexey Stepin , Anton Shilov

[ 12/29/2005 | 12:11 PM ]

Performance in Simulators

Colin McRae Rally 2005

The Chrome S27 and the RADEON X700 are competing as equals in low resolutions, but the latter turns in a better result in higher display modes. The GeForce 6600 GDDR2 does the same, though. High frame rate is as important for a car simulator as it is for first-person-view shooters since it is on this factor that the smoothness and accuracy of your steering depends upon. With the S3 Chrome S27, 1024x768 and 1280x1024 resolutions are playable, but there’s no speed reserve in the latter mode – the minimum of speed is lower than 25fps.

Pacific Fighters

The quite efficient OpenGL driver and high operating frequencies make the S3 Chrome S27 a nice value product for all people who play flight simulators created at Maddox Games. Of course, the GeForce 6600 GDDR2 is even faster, yet the Chrome S27 makes the resolutions 1024x768 and 1280x1024 playable. The current driver from S3 doesn’t support FSAA in OpenGL applications (and we don’t know when this support is going to be added), but it is no big deal because the “eye candy” performance of the card would be too low anyway.