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  1. The first graphics processing unit (GPU) is the NVIDIA GeForce 256, launched on October 11, 1999, and marketed as "the world's first GPU."

    Overview of the GeForce 256

    Historical Context

  1. GeForce 256 - Wikipedia

    GeForce 256 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 …
    Overview

    The GeForce 256 is the original release in Nvidia's "GeForce" product line. Announced on August 31, 1999 and released on October 11, 1999, the GeForce 256 improves on its predecessor (RIVA TNT2) by increasing the number of fixed pixel …

    Product comparisons

    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 some games (ones specifically written to take …

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  2. The History of the Modern Graphics Processor - TechSpot

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    Dec 7, 2023 · Nvidia launched their first graphics chip, the NV1, in May, and it became the first commercial graphics processor capable of 3D rendering, video acceleration, and integrated GUI...

  3. The First Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) - A Computer History …

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    Jul 3, 2016 · In 1984 IBM introduced its first GPU called Professional Graphics Controller (PGC) or Professional Graphics Adapter (PGA). In essence, it was an expansion card that could accelerate 3D …

  4. History of GPU: 1979 arcade chips that boosted gaming, …

    Jul 29, 2025 · Its story starts in a smoky arcade where Namco’s Galaxian cabinet debuted in 1979. The board beneath its blinking alien armada proved that …

  5. The History of Graphics Processing Units (GPU) From the Beginning to ...

    Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) have become essential components in modern computing, playing a central role in rendering graphics, video processing, and training AI models. But how did GPUs come …

  6. Graphics processing unit (GPU) | Definition, …

    Technology made to render 3-D graphics and video had been used for decades before the GPU was invented. The first electronic stored-program computer, the …

  7. GPU History & Timeline | Who Invented Graphics Cards?

    Sep 11, 2019 · Explore the complete GPU history—from early beginnings to today’s cutting-edge graphics cards. Learn who invented the GPU and its evolution …

  8. NVIDIA Launched the World’s First GPU 25 Years Ago

    Sep 2, 2024 · The GeForce 256, an arguably revolutionary chip that NVIDIA developed over two decades ago to achieve what the company had described as …

  9. Digital Media Concepts/Graphics processing unit

    The Nvidia Geforce 256 was the first Graphic Processing Unit and was unveiled on august 31st, 1999. It boasted being the first 256-bit 3D processor, first integrated …

  10. The Evolution of the Graphics Processing Unit

    IBM’s Monochrome Display Adapter (MDA) in 1981 and Color Graphics Adapter (CGA) in 1982 laid the groundwork for what would become GPU technology. These early components had limited …