What Is NVIDIA?

NVIDIA is one of the top multinational technology companies when it comes to manufacturing Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), making it quite popular among gamers and graphic designers or illustrators.

NVIDIA also makes an Application Programming Interface (API) so that you can use GPUs to their full potential. However, NVIDIA isn’t limited to GPUs as it has expanded its presence across the gaming industry by launching various devices along with a cloud gaming service: GeForce Now.

The company was launched in 1993 by a group of people as they observed the multiple problems faced in video games in terms of computing. Over the years, the GPUs launched by them made them gain popularity in the gaming market.

The biggest stepping stone for NVIDIA was receiving the contract for developing graphics hardware for the Xbox gaming console by Microsoft. The contract increased their bank balance as they developed a range of products and acquired multiple companies.

Read further to know about the journey of how NVIDIA became a prominent gaming, data science, and professional visualization company within three decades.

How Was NVIDIA Launched?

In 1993, Jensen Huang, along with Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, embarked on a journey to improve the traditional computing process by introducing graphic chips. 

In the beginning, the company didn’t have any particular name as they saved all their developments under the file name ‘New Version (NV).’ In 1999, the company was named NVIDIA as it invented the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) for professional graphics.

However, NVIDIA launched its first graphic card, NV1, in 1995. The success of NV1 resulted in the company getting a contract for Microsoft DirectX Drivers. A year later, the company launched the world’s first 128-bit processor, RIVA 128 that gained tremendous popularity.

Afterward, NVIDIA started to acquire various companies such as Graphics Pioneer 3DFX that resulted in NVIDIA officially marking its entrance in the integrated graphics market.

One of the most important parts of NVIDIA is its Tegra processor that is used in every Tesla car as it’s specially designed to support gaming devices, drones, self-driving cars, and Artificial Intelligence.

What Does NVIDIA Offer?

NVIDIA has been leading the gaming industry market by creating Graphics Processing Units along with an application interface to give gamers the perfect gaming experience. In addition to it, NVIDIA has its domains in the following:

1.    Graphic Processing Units (GPUs)

If you’re a gamer or someone who uses multiple designing software such as Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop, you must have felt the need for a good GPU or Graphic Card. 

Using the various GPUs such as GeForce and Quadro or NVIDIA RTX made by NVIDIA will elevate your experience with working on graphics as you’d be able to see even the slightest of detail with ease. 

In addition to gaming, the NVIDIA RTX is used predominantly in the field of architecture, engineering, construction, and automotive scientific research due to its exceptional graphic ability.

The high-end GPUs included in the GeForce series by NVIDIA, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, resulted in the Graphic sector of the company contributing almost 59% in its total revenue as of 2021.

2.    Supercomputers And Application Programming Interface (API)

In 2016, NVIDIA launched a line of supercomputers, DGX, so that you can access and operate deep learning software at an exceptional speed.

If you wish to use any supercomputing site that requires a high speed of machine learning algorithms, you might want to use CUDA, an Application Programming Interface (API) that works in parallel to GPUs and ensures its smooth working.

Its use in Tesla vehicles can back the reliability of CUDA, and the statistics state that the computing and networking segment of NVIDIA contributes to the remaining 41% of NVIDIA’s revenue.

3.    Tegra

Tegra is the second most important part of NVIDIA Corporation as it can combine the features of a CPU and GPU in a single chip. The Tegra chips are used in mobile devices, and a new version of Tegra was released after NVIDIA acquired Icera.

Tegra was the entry point of NVIDIA in the mobile computing sector. The multiple ARM System included in the microprocessor compelled people to purchase the Tegra chips and use them in their mobile phones and tablets to access various entertainment services and navigation systems.

4.    Hardware 

Most importantly, NVIDIA also provides a range of hardware and services in the form of NVIDIA GRID so that you can use all the graphic computing services mentioned above. 

Since NVIDIA is known for its specialization and command over the gaming industry, the NVIDIA Shield is a range of special gaming hardware. You can buy various products such as Shield Portable, Shield Tablet, and Shield Android TV under NVIDIA Shield to access the best gaming experience.

In addition to it, the NVIDIA Drive Automotive Solutions such as Drive PX-Series has been created especially for car drivers. The combination of hardware and software would help you drive by using deep learning. In contrast, Driveworks is an operating system made for driverless cars.

Business Model And Acquisitions By NVIDIA

NVIDIA has been facing stiff competition from Intel and Qualcomm ever since it came into the business. However, the business model used by NVIDIA focuses on both the graphic sector and the computing sector of the company, providing it an upper hand throughout.

Moreover, the various mergers and acquisitions done by NVIDIA over the years have helped it become a common name in the gaming, design, and electronic industry. 

Some of the significant companies acquired by NVIDIA include MediaQ, ULI Electronics, Hybrid Graphics, Portal Player, and Icera. 

In addition to it, the contracts and partnerships with the major tech giants such as Microsoft, Sony, and Tesla, resulted in people trusting the brand more and purchasing the various products manufactured by NVIDIA.

Final Words

NVIDIA rose to popularity by introducing Graphics Processing Units that changed how people looked at the computing process. The ability to improve graphics significantly made the company famous in the entertainment and automotive design industry.

After dominating the networking and computing sector, NVIDIA now plans to extend its capabilities and explore the Artificial Intelligence sector to acquire Arm CPU Maker from the SoftBank Group.