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EQUIPEngadget · 2h ago

How did retro consoles handle graphics before modern GPUs?

Executive Brief

The 30-second read

This briefing examines the historical evolution of gaming hardware from dedicated graphics chips to programmable GPUs. It highlights the pivotal shift in computing architecture that began with the release of the original Xbox.

  • 01Legacy gaming systems utilized graphics chips capable of drawing images but lacking computational power
  • 02Modern GPU functionality represents a fundamental departure from early fixed-function hardware designs
  • 03The Xbox launch marked the transition to hardware capable of both drawing and computing

AI-generated summary · Verify at source

Graphics chips could draw but not compute, until the Xbox arrived.