Unlike the regular PC market with video cards which are based largely on performance and consumer needs, the recipe for a good laptop video accelerator is defined solely by the laptop's manufacturer.

Issues like voltage, wattage, electro-magnetic interference, heat and cost dominate the OEM video checklist of the laptop manufacturers, while items like "performance" and "color depth" aren't priorities if they're even on the need list at all.

The challenge for a semiconductor manufacturer who pursues the high-end video chip laptop market then is to not only knock down the laptop OEM's needs, but to provide a part that will appeal to the entertainment desires of the consumer.

We've all seen the impact that DVD-capable laptops have made on long flights, no more having to sit through "Babe 2" when you can whip out your own portable movie theater. The next step in providing the ultimate portable PC is to enable 3D acceleration for usage in gaming software.

Now we're talkin'.

The possibilities are truly endless, with laptops supporting new USB lan connectors (like the small-sized EZLink USB from Anchor Chips) we're not far from the point where two laptop owners will be easily able to fire up a linked game of Quake3: Arena on an airplane trip. (I'll distract Sharky by pressing his "call flight attendant" button repeatedly)

With the destination now visible, the question of how we get there becomes the priority. S3 intends to achieve the goal by utilizing a spruced up .18 micron manufactured version of their Savage3D core.