GeForce 2

The GeForce 2 series (NV15) is the second generation of Nvidia's GeForce line of graphics processing units (GPUs). Introduced in 2000, it is the successor to the GeForce 256.

The GeForce 2 family comprised a number of models. The ''GeForce 2 GTS'', ''GeForce 2 Ultra'', ''GeForce 2 Pro'', and ''GeForce 2 Ti'' are based upon the original architecture (NV15), varying only by chip and memory clock speeds. For the low-end segment and OEMs, the ''GeForce 2 MX'' series (NV11) was created, from which the ''GeForce 2 Go'' was derived for laptops. In addition, the GeForce 2 architecture is used for the Quadro series on the Quadro 2 Pro, 2 MXR, and 2 EX cards with special drivers meant to accelerate computer-aided design applications.

Architecture

The GeForce 2 architecture (NV15) is similar to the previous GeForce 256 line but with various improvements. Compared to the 220 nm GeForce 256, the GeForce 2 is built on a 180 nm manufacturing process, making the silicon more dense and allowing for more transistors and a higher clock speed. The most significant change for 3D acceleration is the addition of a second texture mapping unit to each of the four pixel pipelines. Some say the second TMU was there in the original Geforce NSR (Nvidia Shading Rasterizer) but dual-texturing was disabled due to a hardware bug; NSR's unique ability to do single-cycle trilinear texture filtering supports this suggestion. This doubles the texture fillrate per clock compared to the previous generation and is the reasoning behind the GeForce 2 GTS's naming suffix: GigaTexel Shader (GTS). The GeForce 2 also formally introduces the NSR (Nvidia Shading Rasterizer), a primitive type of programmable pixel pipeline that is somewhat similar to later pixel shaders. This functionality is also present in GeForce 256 but was unpublicized. Another hardware enhancement is an upgraded video processing pipeline, called ''HDVP'' (high definition video processor). HDVP supports motion video playback at HDTV-resolutions (MP@HL).

In 3D benchmarks and gaming applications, the GeForce 2 GTS outperforms its predecessor by up to 40%. In OpenGL games (such as Quake III), the card outperforms the ATI Radeon DDR and 3dfx Voodoo 5 5500 cards in both 16 bpp and 32 bpp display modes. However, in Direct3D games running 32 bpp, the Radeon DDR is sometimes able to take the lead.

The GeForce 2 (NV15) architecture is quite memory bandwidth constrained. The GPU wastes memory bandwidth and pixel fillrate due to unoptimized z-buffer usage, drawing of hidden surfaces, and a relatively inefficient RAM controller. The main competition for GeForce 2 GTS, the Radeon DDR (R100), has hardware functions (called HyperZ) that address these issues. Because of the inefficient nature of the GeForce 2 GPUs, they could not approach their theoretical performance potential and the Radeon, even with its significantly less powerful 3D architecture, offered strong competition. The later NV17 revision of the NV11 design used in the GeForce4 MX was more efficient.

Releases

The first models to arrive after the original GeForce 2 GTS was the ''GeForce 2 Ultra'' and ''GeForce2 MX'', launched on September 7, 2000. On September 29, 2000 Nvidia started shipping graphics cards which had 16 and 32 MB of video memory size.

Architecturally identical to the GTS, the Ultra simply has higher core and memory clock rates. Meant to be a niche product, it was rumored that GeForce 2 Ultra was intended to prevent 3dfx taking the lead with their Voodoo 5 6000 that was ending up never released as 3dfx went bankrupt. The Ultra model actually outperforms the first GeForce 3 products in some cases, due to initial GeForce 3 cards having significantly lower fillrate. However, the Ultra loses its lead when anti-aliasing is enabled, because of the GeForce 3's new memory bandwidth/fillrate efficiency mechanisms; plus the GeForce 3 has a superior next-generation feature set with programmable vertex and pixel shaders for DirectX 8.0 games.

The ''GeForce 2 Pro'', introduced shortly after the Ultra, was an alternative to the expensive top-line Ultra and is faster than the GTS.

In October 2001, the ''GeForce 2 Ti'' was positioned as a cheaper and less advanced alternative to the GeForce 3. Faster than the GTS and Pro but slower than the Ultra, the GeForce 2 Ti performed competitively against the Radeon 7500 (RV200), although the 7500 had the advantage of dual-display support. This mid-range GeForce 2 release was replaced by the GeForce4 MX series as the budget/performance choice in January 2002.

On their 2001 product web page, Nvidia initially placed the Ultra as a separate offering from the rest of the GeForce 2 lineup (GTS, Pro, Ti), however by late 2002 with the GeForce 2 considered a discontinued product line (being succeeded by the GeForce 4 MX), the Ultra was included along the GTS, Pro, and Ti in the GeForce 2 information page.

GeForce 2 MX

Since the previous GeForce 256 line shipped without a budget variant, the RIVA TNT2 series was left to fill the "low-end" role—albeit with a comparably obsolete feature set. In order to create a better low-end option, Nvidia created the GeForce 2 MX series (NV11), which offered a set of standard features similar to the regular GeForce 2 (NV15), limited only by categorical tier of lower performance. In order to reduce production costs, the GeForce 2 MX cards had two 3D pixel pipelines removed and a reduced available memory bandwidth. The cards utilized either SDR SDRAM or DDR SDRAM with memory bus widths ranging from 32 to 128 bits, allowing circuit board cost to be varied. The MX series also provided dual-display support, something not found in the GeForce 256 and GeForce 2. With performance approaching the GeForce 256 while also being much more economical to produce, the GeForce 2 MX was successful in the OEM and budget market.

The prime competitors in the OEM and budget segment were ATI's Radeon SDR (which with all other R100 chip-equipped cards, regardless of clock/memory speed and memory configuration, was later renamed collectively as Radeon 7200), Radeon VE (RV100) (later renamed Radeon 7000), and the 3dfx Voodoo4 4500. Sharing the same R100 GPU as the higher-end Radeon 32MB DDR (US$230), the Radeon SDR (US$150) was equipped with SDR SDRAM instead of DDR SDRAM found in its more expensive brethren although this did not bring down costs sufficiently to match the GeForce 2 MX. Released 3 months after the GeForce 2 MX, the Radeon SDR lacked multi-monitor support but exhibited faster 32-bit 3D rendering over the GeForce 2 MX. 3dfx's Voodoo4 4500 arrived too late, as well as being too expensive at US$150, but too slow to compete with Nvidia or ATI's offerings, and also lacking multi-monitor support. Next up, the Radeon VE's RV100 GPU was cut down considerably from the R100 to reduce production costs, so it did not offer hardware T&L, an emerging 3D rendering feature of the day that was the major attraction of Direct3D 7. Further, the Radeon VE featured only a single rendering pipeline, causing it to produce a substantially lower fillrate than the GeForce 2 MX. However the Radeon VE (US$100) had the advantage of somewhat better dual-monitor display software while matching the GeForce 2 MX on price.

Members of the series include ''GeForce 2 MX'', ''MX400'', ''MX200'', and ''MX100''. The GPU was also used as an integrated graphics processor in the nForce chipset line and as a mobile graphics chip for notebooks called ''GeForce 2 Go''.

The NVIDIA GeForce2 MX 400 is often considered underwhelming because of its limited capabilities. With just 32 MB of SDR memory and an outdated architecture based on the Celsius design, it struggles to perform efficiently. Its low GPU clock speed of 200 MHz and support for only DirectX 7.0 further hamper its ability to handle modern games and applications. In the context of today's technology, the GeForce2 MX 400 is seen as outdated and insufficient for most graphic-intensive tasks.

Successor

The successor to the GeForce 2 (non-MX) line is the GeForce 3. The non-MX GeForce 2 line was reduced in price and saw the addition of the GeForce 2 Ti, in order to offer a mid-range alternative to the high-end GeForce 3 product.

Later, both the GeForce 2 and GeForce 2 MX lines were replaced with the GeForce4 MX.

Models

* All models support TwinView Dual-Display Architecture, Second Generation Transform and Lighting (T&L)
* GeForce2 MX models support Digital Vibrance Control (DVC)

GeForce2 Go mobile GPU series

* Mobile GPUs are either soldered to the mainboard or to some Mobile PCI Express Module (MXM).
* All models are manufactured with a 180 nm manufacturing process

Discontinued support

Nvidia has ceased driver support for GeForce 2 series, ending with GTS, Pro, Ti and Ultra models in 2005 and then with MX models in 2007.

Final drivers

GeForce 2 GTS, GeForce 2 Pro, GeForce 2 Ti and GeForce 2 Ultra:
* Windows 9x & Windows Me: 71.84 released on March 11, 2005
Download

* Windows 2000 & 32-bit Windows XP: 71.89 released on April 14, 2005


* Linux 32-bit: 71.86.15 released on August 17, 2011
Download

GeForce 2 MX & MX x00 Series:
* Windows 9x & Windows Me: 81.98 released on December 21, 2005


** Driver version 81.98 for Windows 9x/Me was the last driver version ever released by Nvidia for these systems. No new official releases were later made for these systems.
* Windows 2000, 32-bit Windows XP & Media Center Edition: 93.71 released on November 2, 2006
Download
(Products supported list also on this page)
** For Windows 2000, 32-bit Windows XP & Media Center Edition also available beta driver 93.81 released on November 28, 2006
ForceWare Release 90 Version 93.81 - BETA

* Linux 32-bit: 96.43.23 released on September 14, 2012
Download

The drivers for Windows 2000/XP can also be installed on later versions of Windows such as Windows Vista and 7; however, they do not support desktop compositing or the Aero effects of these operating systems.

Note: Despite claims in the documentation that 94.24 (released on May 17, 2006) supports the Geforce 2 MX series, it does not (94.24 actually supports only GeForce 6 and GeForce 7 series).
Windows 95/98/Me Driver Archive
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Competing chipsets

*3dfx Voodoo 5
* ATI Radeon
* PowerVR Series 3 (Kyro)

See also

*Graphics card
*Graphics processing unit

References

External links

Nvidia: GeForce2 leading-edge technology




* ttp://www.nvidia.com/object/win9x_81.98.html ForceWare 81.98 drivers, Final Windows 9x/ME driver release for GeForce 2 MX series
ForceWare 71.89 drivers, Final Windows XP driver release for GeForce 2 GTS/Pro/Ti/Ultra


* ttp://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/vga-charts-i,453.html Tom's Hardware VGA Charts (w/ GF2)
techPowerUp! GPU Database

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Computer-related introductions in 2000
2 series
Graphics cards