VIA Launches Seventh Generation ‘Nehemiah’ CPU Core, the First x86 Processor to Market with Embedded Security Features

Combining an integrated PadLock™ Data Encryption Engine with a wealth of enhanced performance features, the new generation VIA C3™ provides the lowest power native x86 platform for the fast-growing market of connected PCs and home entertainment centers

Taipei, Taiwan, 22 January 2003 - VIA Technologies, Inc., a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies and PC platform solutions, today announced its new generation VIA C3Ô processor integrating the ‘Nehemiah’ core. With its powerful PadLock™ Data Encryption Engine, this next generation VIA C3 is the first native x86 processor on the market with embedded security features that enhance the protection of sensitive corporate and personal data.

Available now at a speed of 1GHz, the new processor core is based on an advanced new CoolStreamÔ processor architecture that delivers all the necessary performance for running even the most demanding digital media applications while maintaining ultra low levels of power consumption and heat dissipation.

“The launch of the seventh generation VIA C3 processor extends our leadership in enabling the development of secure, quiet-running small form factor system designs for a rapidly growing number of exciting new lifestyle and productivity applications such as home digital media entertainment and connected computing,” commented Paul Hsu, Executive Assistant to the President and Head of VIA’s CPU Business Unit. “Integration of embedded security features in the processor provides the most robust and cost-effective solution for addressing the increased demands among individuals, businesses, and government organizations for enhanced authentication and protection of their data in today’s connected world.”

PadLock™ Data Encryption Engine

The PadLock Data Encryption Engine has been integrated into the new generation VIA C3 processor to ensure greater confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity of electronic data either stored in the computer or transmitted over a network or the Internet, and enables a host of powerful new security applications, including heavy-duty data encryption and safer online transactions.

At its heart is an advanced Random Number Generator (RNG) that uses random electrical noise on the chip to securely produce random number values, and features a direct application level interface through a new x86 instruction. Developers can obtain random numbers directly from the hardware without having to use separate software drivers, thereby providing an inherently more secure and efficient solution than combined hardware/software RNG architectures. The RNG includes several operating modes, offering performance from 750K bits per second to as high as 6 million bits per second.

“VIA’s incorporation of a hardware random number source on the processor die is exciting for developers, since it provides a simple and effective way of obtaining high quality randomness. This is particularly important for security and cryptography applications, since it is notoriously difficult to generate random numbers of adequate quality without a hardware random number generator,” said Paul Kocher, President of Cryptography Research, Inc. and co-inventor of SSL 3.0. “I am enthusiastic about the benefit to applications such as secure web browsing, cryptographic key generation, and protocols where randomness is required.”

CoolStream™ Architecture

Based on the advanced CoolStream architecture, the new generation VIA C3 processor has a highly efficient design that, when coupled with the VIA Apollo CLE266 chipset, delivers performance increases of up to 20% over the current version of the VIA C3 processor in mainstream productivity applications and up to 73% for 3D graphics applications, while continuing to deliver the same benefits of low power and minimal heat dissipation.

New performance features include support for clock speeds of 1GHz and beyond, four new pipeline stages, SSE multimedia instructions, StepAhead™ Advanced Branch Prediction, an efficiency enhanced 64KB Full-Speed Exclusive L2 cache with 16-way associativity, and a full-speed FPU.

With a typical maximum design power of just over 10 watts at 1GHz, the processor runs extremely cool and delivers very low levels of energy consumption. This not only makes the processor ideal for a wide variety of low profile, small form factor devices, but also enables very low noise system design implementations that are necessary for the emerging new generation of living room digital media entertainment devices.

New Generation VIA C3™ Processor Pricing & Availability

The new generation VIA C3 processor is available now in a choice of Socket 370 CPGA and Enhanced BGA packages, priced at $45 per unit in OEM volumes.

For more information on the new VIA C3 processor, please visit our website at:

http://www.via.co m.tw/en/viac3/c3.jsp.

About VIA Technologies, Inc.

VIA Technologies, Inc. is a leading innovator and developer of PC core logic chipsets, microprocessors, and multimedia, networking and communications chips. VIA delivers value to the PC industry by designing, marketing, and selling high-performance VIA Apollo core logic chipsets for the full range of PC platforms, and cost-effective VIA C3™ processors for Value PCs and Internet Appliances, as well as developing complete solutions for the PC platform through its VPSD Business Unit. Its customers include the world's top OEMs, mainboard manufacturers, and system integrators. VIA is headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, at the center of the Greater China high-tech manufacturing engine, and has branch offices in the US, China and Europe. The company is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE2388), and achieved annual revenues of nearly US$1 billion in 2001. Additional information can be found at http://www.via.com.tw< /a>.