Remembering the Nvidia GeForce 256 – the first PC gaming GPU

Absalom said:
By that same token, one could argue the GeForce 3 was more important because it introduced programmable shaders. GeForce 256 with its fixed function T&L would seem like a dinosaur in comparison.

Then one could argue that the Tesla line was more important than its predecessors because it was the first GPGPU and, not coincidentally, the first CUDA supported product. (I actually currently support this opinion, because we still consider modern GPUs GPGPUs.)

Then we got Tensor cores with introduction of Volta, which opened up AI as we know it today, Deep Learning, etc.

There are many "firsts" when it comes to the history of Nvidia.
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There are a few key cards in gaming history, where important features were introduced. These are the most important ones IMO.
  • Voodoo - The first 3D accelerator on PC that would both improve image quality and framerate. Needed a second card for 2D rendering, all 3D rendering was fullscreen and the passthrough was not ideal though.
  • GeForce 256 - Moved the image processing off the CPU instead of just accelerating some parts of it. Games ran so much faster than previous generations and you got much less CPU dependent. Back then a good CPU cost more than a good 3D accelerator.
  • GeForce 3 - Programmable shaders opened up a lot of possibilities and removed almost all the performance penalty of 32bit colors. Was quickly made too slow though and 4 series was where you really managed to take advantage of the shaders. Still remember being blown away by Max Payne's effects and shiny surfaces.
  • Ati Radeon 9800 - DX9 card which enabled lots of new effects and brought games significantly forward. Nvidia's first DX9 offerings were pretty bad and Ati dominated the performance in DX9.
  • GeForce 8800 cards - DX10 support with lots of power. Crysis was just ridiculous in DX10 mode at the time, basically years ahead of anything else.
  • RTX 2000 series - RT has the potential to take fidelity far beyond older lighting techniques. The 2000 series itself is generally too slow to run it natively and pretty much only the top cards in the 4000 series are 1440p cards with meaningful RT without DLSS. I do believe RT does have massive potential and makes a significant difference in the few titles that have implemented in a meaningful way. My guess is the true breakthrough of RT will be 6-18 months after the next gen consoles launch.
 
GoodBoy said:
The Term GPU as we know it today, Nvidia was the first to create the chip, and as far as I know, that is the only claim regarding 'GPU' that's been made, is that Nvidia was the first to create one. The term for Graphics Processing Unit had been used prior but those performed a limited portion of the work. Those were first to use the term, but they cannot make the same claim to fame that Nvidia can.
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Yes but the article states that:

"Not only did the 1st-gen Nvidia GeForce 256 introduce us to its now famous GeForce gaming graphics brand, but it also brought the term ‘GPU’ to the gaming PC with it."

Which is utter crap as the term was in use before the 256 made an appearance. Not getting into the technicalities of what constitutes a GPU, just their spiel that basically says the term didn't exist until nvidia came up with it (which is bollocks). I referred to my voodoo 2 as a GPU, and that was well over a year before the 256 appeared.
 
Chris_B said:
Yes but the article states that:

"Not only did the 1st-gen Nvidia GeForce 256 introduce us to its now famous GeForce gaming graphics brand, but it also brought the term ‘GPU’ to the gaming PC with it."

Which is utter crap as the term was in use before the 256 made an appearance. Not getting into the technicalities of what constitutes a GPU, just their spiel that basically says the term didn't exist until nvidia came up with it (which is bollocks). I referred to my voodoo 2 as a GPU, and that was well over a year before the 256 appeared.
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Never heard or seen the term GPU for used for Voodoo cards before you saying you referred to it as such. Everyone referred to the TNT and Voodoo cards as 3D accelerators or graphics cards. I did have the original Voodoo card not that far after launch and it was 3D accelerator, not a GPU.
 
evhvis said:
Never heard or seen the term GPU for used for Voodoo cards before you saying you referred to it as such. Everyone referred to the TNT and Voodoo cards as 3D accelerators or graphics cards. I did have the original Voodoo card not that far after launch and it was 3D accelerator, not a GPU.
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Original voodoo was late 95, I recall seeing the term gpu around 98. But i do know it was long before nvidia released their geforce 256. I even recall ati try to float the term VPU for visual processing unit shortly after the 256 appeared but that was short lived.
 
Clickbaity...no love for the Riva TNT/2 for those of us who couldn't afford Voodoos?
 
Chris_B said:
Original voodoo was late 95, I recall seeing the term gpu around 98. But i do know it was long before nvidia released their geforce 256. I even recall ati try to float the term VPU for visual processing unit shortly after the 256 appeared but that was short lived.
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The Voodoo PC cards were released late 96, not 95. Chip was made in 95, but it was not available as an addon card that year.
 
I just remember not being able to afford one of those puppies back then. Wanted one so bad. IIRC was running a S3 Savage4(?).

Kinda feel a bit like i missed out on a piece of history/experience there.
 
atp1916 said:
I just remember not being able to afford one of those puppies back then. Wanted one so bad. IIRC was running a S3 Savage4(?).

Kinda feel a bit like i missed out on a piece of history/experience there.
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You could relive the glory days for cheap OOPS I just checked prices for Voodoo video cards on ebay *jeebus* it's not like they're any GOOD, everybody!!!??!?
 
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