The NVIDIA NV17 is a graphics processing unit (GPU) that was part of the GeForce4 MX series, released in 2002. More specifically, the NV17 chip was utilized in graphics cards like the GeForce4 MX 440. Built on the 150nm manufacturing process, the NV17 featured 63 million transistors and supported DirectX 7.0 and OpenGL 1.2. While not as advanced as some other GPUs of its time, the NV17 powered mainstream graphics cards that offered solid performance for its era.
The GeForce4 MX 440, leveraging the NV17 architecture, contributed to the democratization of decent 3D graphics for a broader audience. It became a popular choice for users who wanted a balance between cost and performance, particularly for multimedia tasks and casual gaming. Despite being overshadowed by more powerful GPUs in later years, the NV17 series played a crucial role in expanding access to graphical capabilities during the early 2000s.
