NVIDIA
The NVIDIA Corporation is a multinational technology company known for its visual computing and graphics processing solutions for consumers and business workloads.
At the turn of the century, NVIDIA disrupted modern computing graphics with the release of the world’s first stand-alone graphics processing unit (GPU). The pioneer extends its next-generation processing capabilities with the ongoing development of deep learning, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) workloads. NVIDIA’s portfolio of technologies is widely known for its applications for gaming and entertainment, emerging technologies, and software development.
This article looks at the vendor’s products, solutions, competitors, channel partner program, clients, and industry recognition.
NVIDIA Solutions and Specialties
NVIDIA’s portfolio of solutions offers clients a list of consumer and business-oriented hardware and software products. The company’s core technologies include processing architectures, enterprise and developer tools, gaming, and advanced industry computing.
These solutions cover critical IT infrastructure needs, including AI, data science, virtualization, high-performance (HPC) and edge computing, parallel computing, and autonomous machines.
NVIDIA Hardware Products
The Silicon Valley vendor’s hardware solutions include laptops, workstations, data center hosting and orchestration, network accelerators, and embedded systems powered by NVIDIA’s latest GPU capabilities.
GeForce GPUs
NVIDIA’s breakout commercial product is the GeForce GPU series, available as stand-alone graphics cards or embedded within the company’s hardware products. The current edition, the GeForce 30 series, uses the company’s proprietary RTX architecture, Ampere.
Read more: How NVIDIA is Evolving from GPUs to xPUs | eWEEK
Enterprise & Developer
NVIDIA features 17 solutions for enterprises and developers to accelerate computing with the necessary algorithms, applications, and systems. The company offers over one hundred software development kits (SDKs) for developers.
SDKs for Developers
- Aerial: An application framework for HPC, software-defined, and cloud-native 5G apps
- CUDA: A parallel computing platform for accelerating performance
- DeepStream: Multi-platform and hybrid tool for deploying vision AI apps and services
- IndeX: An interactive tool for 3D volumetric interactive visualization
- JetPack: A comprehensive solution for end-to-end accelerated AI applications
- Material Definition Language (MDL): A programming language for physical rendering
- Omniverse Kaolin App: An interactive app for 3D deep learning datasets
- OptiX: An application framework for optimizing performance
- PhysX: A multi-platform physics simulation solution for a range of devices
- RTC Real-Time Tracing: Rasterization, deep learning, and ray tracing for APIs
Industry Technologies
With emerging technologies consistently differentiating the competitive landscape, NVIDIA offers solutions for deep learning, AI, ML, virtual reality (VR), 4K resolution, 3D, and visual computing. Other featured industry products include DirectX 12 Ultimate for the latest ray tracing workload processing and Universal Scene Description (USD) for an extensible, open-source 3D scene description tool for content creation.
Learn how NVIDIA Looks to Lower the AI Barrier to Entry | IT Business Edge
NVIDIA Gaming & Media Solutions
NVIDIA has an extensive suite of solutions for gaming, media, and entertainment needs.
Gaming & Media Hardware Products
- GPUs & Laptops: GPUs and laptops powered by the Ampere GeForce RTX
- G-SYNC Displays: High-quality monitors with advanced features for gaming and media
- SHIELD TV: Android TV-based devices for streaming media on monitors
Gaming & Media Software Products
- GeForce NOW: Cloud gaming subscription service for streaming video games
- GeForce Experience: Companion software for driver updates to GeForce GPUs
- Broadcast App: High-quality voice and video recording for RTX GPUs
- Omniverse Machinima: Beta tools and rendering for developing animated video games
Semiconductor Architectures
As an innovator in computer processing, the ongoing development of NVIDIA’s microarchitectures is a big part of the company’s market dominance. The company has a long-term relationship with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Samsung for manufacturing its semiconductors.
Here is a look at the recent evolution of the vendor’s GPU architectures:
| Architecture | Released | Device Fabrication | Transistors | Manufacturer |
| Maxwell | 2014 | 28 nm | 1.87B | TSMC |
| Pascal | 2016 | 16 nm, 14 nm | 15.3B | TSMC, Samsung |
| Volta | 2017 | 12 nm | 21.1B | TSMC |
| Turing | 2018 | 12 nm | 18.6B | TSMC |
| Ampere | 2020 | 7 nm, 8 nm | 54.2B | TSMC, Samsung |
| Hopper | 2023 | 5 nm | 80B | TSMC |
Read more: NVIDIA and the Move to a Virtual AI Future | Datamation
NVIDIA Partner Network (NPN)
As a leader in graphics processing, it’s no surprise the NVIDIA Partner Network (NPN) is appealing for channel partners looking to accelerate their systems integration, consulting, value-added reselling (VAR), hosted services, system design, and other business models.
The NPN offers partners access to the company’s leading technologies, service and support to end clients, and the sales resources needed to drive marketing campaigns. Interested organizations can choose from several partner types and competencies to become a NPN partner.
| Partner Types | Solutions Advisors | Competencies |
| Enterprise Cloud Service Distributor Systems Integrator OEM Service Delivery |
Consultant Data Center Provider Storage Partner Integration Partner VAR Provider |
Compute HPC Embedded Edge Virtualization Visualization |
Once a Registered Partner, organizations can reach benchmarks for training and revenue for unique benefits given to Preferred and Elite Partners.
NVIDIA Competitors
- Ambarella
- AMD
- Arista Networks
- Broadcom
- Dell Technologies
- Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE)
- Intel
- Qualcomm
- Renesas
- Samsung
Also read: Top Rack Servers of 2021 | ServerWatch
Target Audiences
NVIDIA’s consumer and enterprise solutions are fit for several individual professional and industry use cases. The company lists several for prospective clients, including:
| Industries | Professionals |
| Architecture and Engineering Energy and Financial Services Education and Healthcare Game Development Manufacturing and Retail Media and Entertainment Smart Cities and Transportation Telecommunications |
Creatives and Designers Data Scientists Developers Gamers IT Professionals Researchers Roboticists Startup Professionals |
Recognition and Reviews
Forrester Wave
| Industry Report | When | What |
| Open, Programmable Switches for a Business SDN | Q3 2020 | Leader |
Gartner Magic Quadrant and Peer Insights
| Industry Report | When | What |
| Data Center and Cloud Networking | 2020 | Niche Player |
NVIDIA holds almost 200 client reviews with an average score of 4.7 out of 5 stars across Data Center and Cloud Networking and Distributed File Systems and Object Storage solution categories on Gartner Peer Insights. Client reviews highlight the reliability, performance, and speed of products.
Read more: NVIDIA: Data centers are getting smarter, but also get less complex thanks to intelligent network hardware | TechRepublic
NVIDIA: Company Background
In 1993, three Silicon Valley engineers launched NVIDIA. The founders chose the Latin word for envy, invidia, for the brand name when incorporated. Longtime CEO Jensen Huang previously worked at AMD and LSI Logic, while Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem were engineers at Sun Microsystems.
With graphics processing an evident challenge with rising PC usage, in 1999, NVIDIA went public the same year it released the first edition of the industry’s first GPU, GeForce. Two decades later, the graphics pioneer has 20,000 employees and over 50 offices across the Americas, Asia, and Europe.
Growth, Acquisitions, and Financials
Early but notable acquisitions pushing the company forward included graphics technology companies 3dfx Interactive in 2002, MediaQ in 2003, and Hybrid Graphics in 2006.
More recent acquisitions included cloud computing and networking company Mellanox Technologies in 2019 for almost $7 billion and object data storage company SwiftStack in 2020. NVIDIA’s growth continues with a reported 61% jump in annual revenue in 2021, totaling $26.91 billion.
Recent Coverage
- NVIDIA GPU Technology Conference Is Now “Must See TV” | eWEEK
- NVIDIA Aims to Bring AI to the 5G Edge | IT Business Edge
- NVIDIA’s Potential Path Post-Arm | Internet News
- NVIDIA’s Omniverse Underscores the Value of a Strategic Vision | IT Business Edge
- How the Semiconductor Shortage Happened | Channel Insider
- IBM 2nm Breakthrough: Chip and Server Implications | ServerWatch
