25 years ago, NVIDIA introduced the GeForce 256, the first graphics processor in the world, and today the company is a leader in the GPU industry.
In 1999, the PC gaming market lacked a unique solution to meet the growing needs of gamers. Before the GPU became a household name, additional solutions were announced as 3D and video game accelerators, which included such as the Riva TNT or 3dfx Voodoo3. When the GeForce 256 was released, the entire industry changed forever.
Twenty-five years after the release of the GeForce 256, the world of 3D graphics has undergone a remarkable evolution: computer games have become more complex and accessible to all enthusiasts. But none of this would have happened without the original innovation of this product, released in the fall of 1999. 25 years in which NVIDIA was able to continue the tradition began with the first GPU in the GeForce family, the GeForce 256.
– NVIDIA
In honor of the 25th anniversary of the GeForce 256 GPU, NVIDIA introduces retro-style PCs inspired by the 1999-2000 era with the RTX 4080 SUPER processor and Ryzen 7 7800X3D. These PCs will be offered through contests run by NVIDIA on various social channels including TikTok, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The GeForce 256 was also the first fully functional and dedicated GPU, supporting T&L (hardware rendering and lighting) for the first time. It gives a significant performance boost to games using OpenGL renderer like Quake III etc. GeForce 256 could handle at least 10 million polygons per second. This took the load off the CPU, allowing developers to integrate more polygons into their games without taxing the CPU.
Popular shooters such as Quake III Arena and UT (Unreal Tournament) and the performance offered by the NVIDIA GeForce 256 in these games were the reason for its greater success, with sales of over a million units within the first months of launch. This was a turning point for the green team and gave NVIDIA early recognition in the industry.
