Final Words

The SiS 730S holds a lot of promise and it is definitely a step in the right direction, since the Duron desperately needs a highly integrated platform to run on.  The motto we associated with the Duron when we first reviewed it back in June was: “value does not have to mean slow.”  Unfortunately the SiS 730S seems to combat that motto quite a bit. 

While we did expect lower performance in 3D applications and games out of a UMA platform like that 730S, there is still no excuse for the degraded memory performance we saw here.  If you factor out the integrated graphics and use an external GeForce2 GTS card, the 730S was still 10% slower in 2D applications and up to 25% slower in 3D applications. 

Obviously SiS’ memory controller isn’t as mature as that which is present in VIA’s KT133 chipset.  However SiS has every reason to worry since the same memory controller which is dominating the 730S now is present in VIA’s KM133 chipset which, unlike the KT133, is targeted at the value market segment. 

Can the 730S possibly succeed if VIA’s KM133 is introduced into motherboard designs in a reasonable timeframe?  If you’re looking at 2D application performance alone, chances are that it won’t, however VIA does have something working against them with the KM133. 

While the 730S features SiS’ tried and true 300 graphics core, the KM133 relies on the Savage4 graphics core VIA acquired in the S3 deal.  The Savage4 wasn’t a great performer, but our biggest complaint about the Savage4 wasn’t its performance rather it was the incredibly poor driver support.  The 730S’ drivers worked flawlessly during our testing, and since the 300 was made by SiS it was obviously 100% compatible with the 730S chipset design. 

However, some of the biggest problems we ever encountered with the Savage4 chip as an external graphics solution were with VIA chipsets.  Granted that a lot of time has passed since we last touched a Savage4 solution, but if VIA hasn’t invested a good deal of time into driver development for their KM133 part, they could be in a bit of trouble.

As far as SiS is concerned, the 730S is definitely a good first attempt at a value solution for the Athlon platform.  And its exactly what the OEMs have been demanding, its cost effective (just a few dollars more expensive than the i810/815E chipsets), highly integrated and has good driver support (not to mention impressive DVD performance). 

Unfortunately it is taking away quite a bit of the performance advantage that the Duron originally boasted over the Celeron.  It is now up to VIA to deliver a low cost yet better performing value platform for the Duron, if they can do that then SiS will be in a bit of a bind, if they cannot however, the Duron may lose quite a bit of its appeal in the retail market.