Nvidia's First GPU: The GeForce 256
Nvidia's first GPU: GeForce 256
On October 11, 1999, Nvidia released the GeForce 256, the first product it marketed as a GPU. While 3dfx fans might dispute the label, the GeForce's transform and lighting engine offloaded work from the CPU, benefiting budget systems with low-end Celerons. The card wasn't an immediate game changer, but it set Nvidia on a path to dominate graphics. The article also recounts how a $5 million investment from Sega in 1996 saved Nvidia from bankruptcy.
If it hadn’t been for Sega’s investment, Nvidia could have gone out of business before 3dfx did, and perhaps 3dfx would have survived instead.