Do you remember your first graphics card?

what ever card came with an acer built 486DX4, it had 512k memory, then got a P166 with a S3 64 1mb card on it, ran Quake2 at 320x240 at about 15-20fps, get some action on the screen and it spiked down to 8, later added a 4m Monster3D!

I've had so many video cards through the time I had my first computer, I literally have a box where I just tossed them in, when ever I'm really bored I'll grab a case from under the desk, grab a bunch of old parts and a random video card (usually a Geforce2 GTS 770) build a computer and see what games I can get it to run. Its funny when I sithe through my computer parts, I have probably 5-7 processors but own over 12 VC's.
 
1st: XFX GeForce 5600 Ultra 256MB
2nd: PNY 5700 Ultra 256MB
3rd: eVGA 6600GT 128MB
4th: eVGA 6800GT 256MB
5th: eVGA 8800GT SSC 512MB
6th: eVGA 8800GT SSC 512MB
 
well everyone had onboard back in the early ninetys. But first with acceleration would have to be the matrox millenium with the matrox m3d add on card. ive owned everything actually.
 
CGA graphics chip with I think 4k or 8k of VRAM in my XT computer. Yes, XT PC with 8088 CPU. Got to love those magenta, cyan, and black and white colors at 320x200 to 640x480 resolution. >.>;

Then, it was a Cirrus Logic 65xxx (forgot the exact numbers) with 4 MB VRAM in my Toshiba 335 CDS laptop. LCD screen was dual scan and had a max resolution of 800x600, 1024x768 if I connected an external monitor, but only with 64k colors at 16-bit. At 800x600, I can do a full 24-bit colors.

Next was a Geforce 2 MX then a Radeon 9700 Pro, and now a HD 3870. <3
 
Atech said:
Cirrus logic 512kb...
Click to expand...

ISA, PCI or integrated? I had one too, ISA I think. I only remember because I had to replace it. Other than that, I paid no attention to what my graphics chips were until the Voodoo 1 came out.
 
Lets see.....in the early '90s I bought a 386 clone at a computer show. In '95 I sold that and bought a Quantex P-75 system that came with Cirrus Logic 2mb video......I upgraded that system with a P-166, Gigabyte GX mobo and Diamond Stealth 3D 3000....along the way I also added more EDO ram, swapped the 14.4 modem for 33.3 (until I got TCI cable in '98) and a 4gig WD HD ($284)

I didn't realize how fast those head crabs were until I got a V3-2000 in '99 :D
 
I used my Commodore 64 on a portable black-and-white TV in 1983 or so (?), later got a 1701 composite monitor. Then my Amiga had builtin graphics (non-ECS chipset) in 1987. Later I added a de-interlacer card so that I could use a nicer multisync VGA+ monitor. Then I got a 486 DX2/66 in 1994 with a Tseng Labs VESA bus card (ran linux). My Pentium 100 in 1996 had an ATI Mach64 Rage II+DVD PCI card (primarily linux). In 2000 I got a P3-600 with a Voodoo3-2000 AGP (ran Win2K, first machine I ever really gamed on other than the Amiga). Later a friend gave me a Geforce2 GTS 64M AGP when he upgraded, then the same friend gave me a Radeon 9500 or 9700 AIW AGP (upgraded), then the same friend gave me a Radeon X700 AGP (nice friend) and an Athlon XP 2800+ mobo combo to go with it (upgraded). Then I bought my C2D E6400 system in 2006 with a BFG 7600GT OC PCIe. I am now running a G92 8800GTS 512M in the same C2D system.
 
First card I ever bought and paid for with my own money was a GeForce Accelerator Pro 256. I spent ~$300 for it on either Newegg or Googlegear (now ZZF), I can't remember which.

I think I still have it, and I'm pretty sure it works.
 
GORANKAR said:
ISA, PCI or integrated? I had one too, ISA I think. I only remember because I had to replace it. Other than that, I paid no attention to what my graphics chips were until the Voodoo 1 came out.
Click to expand...


I know mine was actually on the VISA slot, the boad was flippin HUGE
 
1. S3 Virge Onboard with 2MB VRAM
2. GeForce 2 Ultra 64 MB (what a jump, lol)
3. ASUS X800XL 256MB
4. EVGA 8800GTS 512MB
 
started becoming an enthusiast when i was 16, 4 years ago... and i bought an x300 because that was what i can only afford. Ive gone a long way since, geez i can call myself a pro now when it comes to pc hardware :D I think... once i graduate and get more money then ill be uber lol. Heres what i got

1. x300
2. x850gto
3. 7300gt ddr3
4. another 7300gt ddr3 to SLI (i killed one of em... 700/1800 OC damn the best OC'd GPU i ever had)
5. 7900gtx
6. 320mb 8800gts
7. 512mb 8800gt
8. Just ordered a 9800gtx :D

thats 8 cards in 4 years i change during summer and winter when ive saved enough lol. Its not that im rich or anything i work part time and all my money goes into video cards, ive only upgraded processors twice as well as memory and motherboard twice. But im a GPU addict lol, instead of buying beer or eating expensive restos with friends i save em up for this. Plus i dont drink beer, that saves on costs too. The joys of not having to pay taxes and house bills :D oh the 8800gts 320 is my bros not mine, but ill just put it there anyway
 
My first card was a GeForce FX5200 (lol). It did HL2 @ 800x600 fine though, so whatever.

Total history as follows:
1. FX5200
2. 9800 Pro
3. X850XT
4. 8800GTS 320MB
5. 8800GT 512MB

Not anything special, for the most part, just your normal workhorse cards ;)
 
My first graphics card was a PCI graphics card that had an S3 Trio64 chipset and 2MB of DRAM.

I lost track of the GPUs that I had since then, but the difference between my current 8800GT OC 512MB and that old Trio64 2MB is ridiculously huge.
 
I believe it was a Voodoo 3 PCI. After that I got a Voodoo 5 5500 PCI. Didn't notice much of a performance increase. I wish I still had those cards. I think I might have given them away or threw them out. The Voodoo 5 would've made a nice coffee table.

Oh and are all of these pictures real? http://digilander.libero.it/F1Land/3dfxarchive/media/pictures.html
If they are that's insane.

Especially this one:
quantum3D-8132-8-way-32MB-per-chip-2.jpg
 
Tandy 1000 EX (16 color EGA)
S3 Virge 2MB (Packard Bell)
GeForce 2 MX200 (first actual card)
GeForce 4 MX440
GeForce FX 5200
GeForce 6800 GT (financial independence)
GeForce 8800 GTS 320mb
(was waiting for 9800GTX, but from what i gather, i might as well wait, my games play fine at 1680x1050.)
 
Only really got into computers in middle school...but I was aware of graphics cards since much younger days :D

1 - Some ISA on 486
2 - Integrated GFX on P1
3 - Orchid Righteous 3D Voodoo 1 4MB on the P1 333 (man that was the bomb)
4 - Integrated ATI Rage Pro Turbo 4MB on P2 450
5 - Radeon 9800 Pro on Dell :cool:
6a - Nvidia 7400 Go on Dell Laptop
6b - 8800 GTS 640

(Both 6a and 6b are my computers...the rest are family pc's)

Got a question: should I have taken the Voodoo one and put that in my p2 (and would I have seen better performance?) If so, I'm an idiot for not doing that!
 
Virge was the first "so called" 3d card I had, then the diamnond monster 3d.

Long time ago heh
 
A first gen Geforce DDR 64mb in a new 800mhz athlon machine. It died a year later, so I replaced it with a Geforce 2mx which was 50x worse. Returned that crap and got a Radeon.
 
TheSynth said:
I believe it was a Voodoo 3 PCI. After that I got a Voodoo 5 5500 PCI. Didn't notice much of a performance increase. I wish I still had those cards. I think I might have given them away or threw them out. The Voodoo 5 would've made a nice coffee table.

Oh and are all of these pictures real? http://digilander.libero.it/F1Land/3dfxarchive/media/pictures.html
If they are that's insane.

Especially this one:
quantum3D-8132-8-way-32MB-per-chip-2.jpg
Click to expand...

Sure, they're all real. Before the Voodoo2 was even born, Quantum3D was making multi-processor cards using the Voodoo Graphics chips (for arcades and professional workstations).

See here for more information on Quantum3D, the company that was making SLI happen before it was ever sold to consumers:

http://www.thedodgegarage.com/3dfx/q3d_obsidian.htm
 
yeah, I don't think I could forget my first cards, or couple cards. after that it gets blurry. But I guess you could say its pretty much where it all started. I mean thinking back it was probably the first piece of hardware I ever bought.

1) Voodoo3 2000
2) Kyro II - believe this was the PowerVR3 No hardware T&L

When these posts pop up I see tons of voodoos, and it makes me wonder wtf did they do with all that money.
 
First video was built in CGA on a tandy 1000.

First PCI card was a trident 9440 on a 486 DX 33. Doom I made me cream my shorts.
 
Diamond Stealth 3D 3000 ... not the first card I've ever owned, but the first card I ever purchased. I think it was like $170 back in 1995. 4MB of graphical enjoyment! :)
 
First was a 4MB ATi Xpert@Play (3D Rage Pro) AGP..
Then an Xpert 128 PCI 16MB (before I knew any better, but it was quite a bit faster than the Rage Pro anyway)
Then I went to a Radeon 7000 64MB AGP
Then a 7200 VIVO 64MB AGP
Then a 9000 128MB AGP
Then a 9550 128MB/128bit
Then a 9700Pro
Then an X800XL AGP
Then my X1900XT
Now a 3870 512

I like ATi?
 
I bought my first PC(Packard Bell P75) back in '95 and upgraded the on board graphics to a Matrox Millennium 4mb PCI card. As I remember it cost me over $300.
 
This thread makes me feel old.

CGA. EGA, VGA SVGA... been there, done that.

The first meaningful video upgrade for me was adding 256K to my VGA board so I could get better than 16 colors at resolutions higher than 320x200.

My first accelerated video board was on of the first S3 boards.

My first 3D board was a Diamond Stealth (S3 Virge) Followed by (if memory serves me right)
Diamond Monster (Voodoo1)
Diamond Monster Fusion. (The Banshee chip. 2d and 3d on one board)
Diamond Viper (Riva TNT)
Diamond Viper (Riva TNT 2)

Then I moved to the Geforce stuff. I've had one from every series starting with The original to the 8x00 series.
 
Absolutely! Sierra Screamin' 3D (Rendition Verite 1000 chipset), I still think I have it somewhere. Man, first time I witnessed Tomb Raider 1 in DOS using the speedy3d api I was sold! Been buying 3D accelerators religiously since, although I've slowed down a bit to purchasing a new one every year and a half.
 
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