Matrox

Lore & Background

Matrox was founded in 1976 by Lorne Trottier and Branko Matić, with the name derived from 'Ma' in Matić and 'Tro' in Trottier. Its first graphics card, the ALT-256, was released in 1978 for S-100 bus computers, producing a 256×256 pixel monochrome display using an 8 KB frame buffer of 16 TMS4027 DRAM chips. An expanded ALT-512 followed, and through the 1980s Matrox adapted to Multibus and then PC standards. During the 1990s, the Matrox Millennium series attracted buyers seeking higher quality and sharper displays. In 1994, Matrox introduced the Impression, an add-on card for 3D acceleration aimed at the CAD market, and in October 1995 released the Millennium, its most venerated 2D card. Later versions of the Millennium included Impression-like features, but the series lagged behind emerging vendors like 3dfx Interactive. Matrox attempted to enter the 3D gaming market with the Mystique in 1996, which had good 2D and 3D performance but poor 3D image quality, earning it the nickname 'Matrox Mystake'. The G100 and G200 followed; the G200 offered competent 3D performance but was quickly outperformed by new cards from Nvidia and ATI. Later G400 and Parhelia series never regained the crown. Since then, Matrox has shifted to specialized niche markets, including multi-monitor solutions for enterprise, industrial, and government applications. As of the article, Matrox is divided into three divisions: Matrox Graphics, Matrox Video, and Matrox Imaging. In 2016, Matrox introduced the C-series of graphics cards based on AMD GPUs. On September 6, 2019, co-founder Lorne Trottier acquired 100% ownership of the Matrox group. On June 6, 2022, Zebra Technologies completed its acquisition of the Matrox Imaging division. In 2023, Matrox introduced the LUMA series based on Intel Arc GPUs.

Reader's Guide

Matrox's significance lies in its longevity and early entry into the graphics card market, releasing its first product in 1978. The company was a notable player in the 1990s with the Millennium series, which appealed to users willing to pay for higher display quality. However, its attempts to compete in the 3D gaming market were largely unsuccessful, with products like the Mystique being derided and the G200 quickly outpaced by Nvidia and ATI. The company's legacy is one of a once-prominent manufacturer that shifted to specialized niche markets, including multi-monitor and industrial applications, where it has maintained a small but stable market share of 3–5%. Matrox also contributed to the video production market through its Video Products Group and to machine vision through its Imaging division, which was later sold to Zebra Technologies. The company's driver support for Unix and Linux has been limited, with only binary drivers for most products and a partially free driver for the G550, which does not work on newer kernels.

Did You Know?

• Matrox's name is derived from 'Ma' in co-founder Branko Matić and 'Tro' in co-founder Lorne Trottier.
• The company's first graphics card, the ALT-256, used 16 TMS4027 DRAM chips for an 8 KB frame buffer.
• The Matrox Mystique (1996) was nicknamed the 'Matrox Mystake' due to poor 3D image quality.