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  Top: Logo Bottom: Nvidia GeForce 256 | |
| Release date | October 11, 1999 (SDR) December 13, 1999[1] (DDR) |
|---|---|
| Codename | NV10 |
| Architecture | Celsius |
| Fabrication process | TSMC 220 nm (CMOS) |
| Cards | |
| Mid-range | GeForce 256 SDR |
| High-end | GeForce 256 DDR |
| API support | |
| DirectX | Direct3D 7.0 |
| OpenGL | OpenGL 1.2.1 (T&L) |
| History | |
| Predecessor | RIVA TNT2 |
| Successor | GeForce 2 series |
| Support status | |
| Unsupported | |
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 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 notable leap in 3D PC gaming performance and was the first fully Direct3D 7-compliant 3D accelerator.
- ^ IGN staff (December 13, 1999). "News Briefs". Archived from the original on September 1, 2000. Retrieved October 1, 2020.