Abstract: Real-time video/visual communication applications require trade-offs in terms of processing speed, visual image quality and power consumption. Motion estimation is one of the tasks in video coding that requires significant amount of computation. Block matching motion estimation algorithms such as the three-step search and the diamond search algorithms are currently being used in video coding schemes as alternatives to full search algorithms. Fast motion estimation algorithms reduce the computational complexity, at the expense of reduced performance. Special purpose fast processors can be employed as an alternative to meet the computational demand. However, the processing speed comes at the expense of higher power consumption.