3D graphics transformed a somewhat dull PC industry into a spectacle of light and magic after generations of innovative endeavor. TechSpot's look at the history of the GPU goes from the early days of 3D, to game-changing hardware and beyond.
Thirty years ago, PC gamers could choose GPUs from over 10 different makers. The fascinating story of Rendition is one of engineering brilliance and lost opportunities from the golden age of graphics. Plus, some easter egg content about TechSpot's history and how it all relates.
Launched on November 1996, 3Dfx's Voodoo graphics consisted of a 3D-only card that required a VGA cable pass-through from a separate 2D card to the Voodoo, which then connected to the display. Voodoo Graphics revolutionized personal computer graphics nearly overnight and rendered many other designs obsolete, including a vast swathe of 2D-only graphics producers.
The 3D landscape in 1996 favoured S3 with around 50% of the market. That was to change soon, however. It was estimated that 3Dfx accounted for 80-85% of the 3D accelerator market during the heyday of Voodoo's reign. Later on Nvidia would revive with the RIVA series and eventually land their greatest success with the first GeForce graphics card.