S3 brings discrete graphics to the masses

If you want to run and its fancy Aero glass effects, all reports are that your PC will need a dedicated 3D graphics card to make the new operating system look its best. While ATI and Nvidia of course have their own low-end cards, S3 Graphics also enters the low-end fray with its new ChromeS20 series of PCI Express graphics cards.

They are available in two models, the bottom-of-the-barrel ChromeS25 and the slightly better ChromeS27 (each with various memory configurations), so expect prices to range from $50 to $150, making it easy for people to upgrade a desktop with an unoccupied PCI Express slot. You won't find the latest 3D bells and whistles (no Shader Model 3 support, for example), but each card should offer at least enough oomph to run Vista in all of its alpha-blended glory. Expect to see ChromeS20-series cards on store shelves by the end of this month.