| Nvidia GeForce 256 | |
|---|---|
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| Codename(s) | NV10 |
| Release date | 1999 |
| Mid-Range GPU | GeForce 256 SDR |
| High-end GPU | GeForce 256 DDR |
| Direct3D and Shader version | Direct3D 7.0 |
The GeForce 256 is the original release in Nvidia's "GeForce" product-line. Released on August 31, 1999, the GeForce 256 improves on its predecessor (RIVA TNT2) by increasing the number of fixed pixel-pipelines, offloading host geometry calculations to a hardware transform and lighting (T&L) engine, and adding hardware motion-compensation for MPEG-2 video. It offered a notably large leap in 3D gaming performance and was the first fully Direct3D 7-compliant 3D accelerator.
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Architecture
Upon release, GeForce 256 offered industry-leading real-time 3D rendering performance. It was marketed as "the world's first 'GPU', or Graphics Processing Unit," a term Nvidia defined at the time as "a single-chip processor with integrated transform, lighting, triangle setup/clipping, and rendering engines that is capable of processing a minimum of 10 million polygons per second."
The integration of the transform and lighting hardware into the GPU itself set the GeForce 256 apart from older 3D accelerators that used separate chips for the task. This reduction of 3D graphics solution complexity brought the cost of such hardware to a new low and made it accessible to cheap consumer graphics cards instead of being limited to the previous expensive professionally-oriented niche designed for computer-aided design (CAD). NV10's T&L engine also allowed Nvidia to enter the CAD market for the first time, with a product called Quadro. The Quadro line uses the same silicon chips as the GeForce cards, but has different driver support and certifications tailored to the unique requirements of CAD applications.[1]
Performance and value
GeForce 256 offered exceptional 3D performance that surpassed existing graphics cards. Compared to previous high-end 3D game accelerators, such as 3dfx Voodoo3 3500 and Nvidia RIVA TNT2 Ultra, GeForce provided up to a 50% or greater improvement in frame rate in a number of game titles.[2] Its support of the full Direct3D 7 API also assured the card of a strong future, unlike its initial Direct3D 6 competition. The GeForce 256 was supported in games up until approximately 2006, in games such as Star Wars: Empire at War.
However, without broad application support at the time, critics contended that the T&L technology had little real-world value. Initially, it was only somewhat beneficial in a few OpenGL-based 3D first-person shooter titles, most notably Quake III Arena. 3dfx and other competing graphics card companies pointed out that a fast CPU could make up for the lack of a T&L unit. Only after the GeForce 256 was replaced by the GeForce 2, and ATI's T&L-equipped Radeon was also on the market, did hardware T&L become a widely-utilized feature in games.
The GeForce 256 was also quite expensive for the time and it didn't offer tangible advantages over competitors' products outside of 3D acceleration. For example, its GUI and video playback acceleration were not significantly better than that offered by competition or even older Nvidia products. Additionally, some GeForce cards were plagued with poor analog signal circuitry that caused display output to be blurry.
Specifications
Discontinued support
nVidia has ceased driver support for GeForce 256 series.
Final Drivers Include:
- Windows 9x & Windows Me: 71.84 released on March 11, 2005; Download;
- Windows 2000 & 32-bit Windows XP: 71.89 released on April 14, 2005; Download.
Competitors
See also
References
- ^ "Nvidia Workstation Products". Nvidia.com. http://www.nvidia.com/page/workstation.html. Retrieved 2007-10-02.
- ^ Ross, Alex and Wood, Joan (October 14, 1999). "Nvidia GeForce 256 DDR Guide". Sharky Extreme. pp. p.6. http://www.sharkyextreme.com/hardware/guides/nvidia_geforce256/6.shtml. Retrieved 2008-06-14.
External links
- NVIDIA: GeForce 256 - The World's First GPU
- ForceWare 71.84 drivers, Final Windows 9x/ME driver release
- ForceWare 71.89 drivers, Final Windows XP driver release
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