To improve power consumption and reduce manufacturing costs, Samuel 2 was produced with 150 nm process technology.

The VIA C3 processor continued an emphasis on minimizing power consumption with the next die shrink to a mixed 130/150 nm process.

Because the embedded system marketplace prefers low-power, low-cost CPU designs, VIA began targeting this segment more aggressively because the C3 fit those traits rather well.

[4]) The "Nehemiah+" (C5P) (stepping 8) revision brought a few more advancements, including a high-performance AES encryption engine along with a notably small ball grid array chip package the size of a US 1 cent coin.

While slower than x86 CPUs being sold by AMD and Intel, both in absolute terms and on a clock-for-clock basis, VIA's chips were much smaller, cheaper to manufacture, and lower power.

These and other high volume industrial applications are starting to generate big profits for VIA as the small form factor and low power advantages close embedded deals.

[citation needed] On the basis of the IDT Centaur acquisition,[6] VIA appears to have come into possession of at least three patents, which cover key aspects of processor technology used by Intel.