Graphics cards. Video games. Cryptocurrency mining. Advanced AI. Self-driving vehicles. At first glance, these may seem like totally unrelated technologies. But they all increasingly depend on the processing brawn of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). And over the past decades, GPUs have evolved into one of computing‘s most vibrant markets and innovation hubs.
But who exactly are the titans leading the GPU industry today? And what specialties and expertise have enabled each to thrive? This guide will countdown the 10 largest graphics chip makers worldwide while overviewing their history, reach, and areas of impact. Gaining insight into these GPU giants showcases just how pervasive parallel processing power has become.
An Introduction to GPUs and Why They Matter
First, what exactly are GPUs, and why should you care? GPUs began life as specialized processors optimized to rapidly manipulate and alter memory to render 2D and 3D graphics in real-time, primarily for video games. GPUs excel at massively parallel computations, handling hundreds of simpler tasks simultaneously rather than a single complex task.
But over the years, applications tapping into GPUs‘ parallel processing strengths have dramatically expanded. Today GPUs accelerate everything from game visuals to VR environments, machine learning models, video editing tools, medical imaging, oil and gas exploration…the list goes on. Nvidia‘s dominance, for instance, partially stems from GPUs becoming ideal for training deep neural networks underlying much of today‘s AI breakthroughs.
This means GPUs now permeate most computing segments from consumer laptops and smartphones to cloud data centers. And global GPU revenue topped $25 billion in 2021 alone. So gaining insight into the GPU players leading hardware and software innovations offers a window into the future of computing itself.
10. Sapphire Technology: Focusing on Gaming Reach
Founded: 2001
Headquarters: Hong Kong
Annual Revenue: ~$265 million
Units Sold: 15+ million
Despite having the smallest revenue on this list, Sapphire Technologies earns a top 10 spot by shipping over 15 million graphics cards yearly. Sapphire produces mostly AMD-powered video cards spanning entry-level gaming rigs to cryptocurrency mining setups. Their reasonably-priced GPUs became especially popular among coin miners during market surges. Beyond graphics cards, Sapphire also manufactures motherboards, TV tuners, laptop docking stations, and more.
9. Micro-Star International (MSI): Gaming and Professional Graphics
Founded: 1986
Headquarters: Taiwan
Annual Revenue: ~$3.3 billion
Units Sold: 29+ million
MSI produces hardware and components catering especially to gamers, professionals, and content creators seeking high-performance graphics. MSI‘s GPU lineup includes both AMD and Nvidia-powered graphics cards serving up intense visuals for gaming and creative projects. The company also manufactures complete laptops, all-in-one PCs, smart robot appliances, and industrial IoT systems tapping into its GPU innovations.
8. EVGA: Specializing in Nvidia-Based Gaming GPUs
Founded: 1999
Headquarters: California, USA
Annual Revenue: Over $119 billion (Parent company: Unilever)
Units Sold: 10+ million
EVGA sells only Nvidia-powered graphics cards designed specifically for gaming, VR, cryptocurrency mining, and related applications requiring advanced real-time graphics. As an authorized Nvidia partner, EVGA works closely with Nvidia‘s evolving architectures and technologies. EVGA‘s offerings scale from budget gaming GPUs up to high-end graphics cards and GPU compute accelerators usually retailing for thousands.
7. ZOTAC (PC Partner Group): Making GPUs More Accessible
Founded: 1997
Headquarters: Hong Kong
Annual Revenue: ~$326 million
Units Sold: 16+ million
ZOTAC markets itself as striving to make advanced GPU technology more accessible and approachable for casual users and newcomers. ZOTAC‘s graphics card offerings extend from entry-level cards for HD video and basic gaming all the way up to high-end GPUs powering 4K and VR gaming. ZOTAC also integrates its graphics innovations into mini PCs, premium Chromebooks, smartphone gimbals, and other electronics.
6. GIGABYTE: Pushing Gaming Visuals Further
Founded: 1986
Headquarters: Taiwan
Annual Revenue: ~$1.9 billion
Units Sold: Over 17 million
Beyond motherboards, GIGABYTE works closely with advanced GPU architecture to keep pushing gaming visuals forward. Their AORUS graphics cards brand in particular focuses on delivering elite performance and features competitive gamers demand. GIGABYTE GPU offerings scale from budget-friendly cards up to extreme flagship designs packing elaborate multi-fan cooling systems and exotic metal backplates.
5. ASUS: GPUs for All Computing Classes
Founded: 1989
Headquarters: Taiwan
Annual Revenue: Over $6 billion
Units Sold: 25+ million
This tech pioneer produces graphics cards powering everything from affordable office PCs to hardcore enthusiast gaming rigs. Their ASUS Dual and ASUS TUF Gaming lines target more mainstream builders. While the elite ROG Strix models flaunt cutting-edge designs and exotic cooling to chase every last drop of performance. ASUS also integrates graphics solutions into laptops, networking gear, IoT gadgets, and quantum computing.
4. Apple: Pushing Mobile GPU Performance Further
Founded: 1976
Headquarters: California, USA
Annual Revenue: Over $365 billion
Units Sold: 240+ million annually
Apple‘s iconic iPhone, iPad, Macbooks and more depend on custom-designed processors and GPUs crafted in-house. Costing billions in R&D, Apple‘s Silicon teams architect SoCs delivering category-leading graphics performance per watt. For instance, the GPU integrated within Apple‘s new M2 chip promises a 30% boost over prior designs. As mobile devices grow more camera and app functionality, expect Apple pushing mobile GPU performance even harder.
3. Intel: Integrated Graphics Driving the Mainstream
Founded: 1968
Headquarters: California, USA
Annual Revenue: Over $77 billion
Units Sold: ~800 million+ GPU units annually
Intel defines GPU dominance differently than gaming-centric players. Intel IGPs (integrated GPUs) built into most CPUs power an enormous portion of business and home PCs not dedicated specifically for gaming. Though modest individually, Intel ships nearly 800 million processor/IGP combos yearly based on Intel‘s boasting up to 80% market share. And Intel recently expanded into dedicated gaming graphics cards to complement its integrated offerings.
2. AMD: Superior Price-to-Performance Gaming GPUs
Founded: 1969
Headquarters: California, USA
Annual Revenue: $16.4 billion
Units Sold: ~77 million discrete GPUs
AMD‘s Radeon graphics cards promise pristine visuals and buttery frame rates for gaming and creative projects at more affordable price points than rivals—a mantra AMD dubs "the gamer premium." Models range from budget-savvy RX 6000 cards up to flagship enthusiasts designs as seen in Sony and Microsoft consoles. AMD GPUs also accelerate professional workflows tapping into stream processors – like Adobe media tools leveraging AMD‘s bolt-on Radeon Render plugin for GPU acceleration.
1. NVIDIA: The AI Computing Giant Backed by GPU Leadership
Founded: 1993
Headquarters: California, USA
Annual Revenue: ~$27 billion
Units Sold: ~133 million discrete GPUs
Nvidia captured pole position on this list thanks to GPU architecture that manages to be both broadly adaptable and highly specialized for target applications—evident across Nvidia‘s vertical solutions targeting industries ranging from gaming to robotics. But much of Nvidia‘s success ties back to GPU software ecosystems like CUDA and software APIs easing development of GPU-accelerated apps for enterprise and research. Combined with aggressively evolving hardware, Nvidia GPUs became the de facto standard for modern AI and high performance computing.
And those are the 10 titans currently empowering the GPU industry today! This guide explored their histories while spotlighting specialties allowing each to thrive. The next time you play a video game or use an AI assistant, remember the GPU acceleration likely happening behind the scenes! Let us know if you have any other questions around today‘s leading graphics processing innovators.
