Users' expectations for compelling graphics, and the performance demands that go with them, are high and headed up. The 3-D graphics pipeline typically breaks down into two basic elements. The second is a rendering system that draws data from the geometry system into a 3-D image. As a result, more and more graphics IC designers, especially those targeting the high performance end of the market, are now integrating a hardware setup engine on-chip. The rendering side of the pipeline is generally designed to manage any of a wide range of functions.
Texture mapping applies a pattern to an object's surface to make it look more realistic.
Z-buffering determines which surfaces are hidden by other objects. Alpha blending manages the transparency of an object, while anti-aliasing minimizes jagged edges. Chips can also offer different classes of filtering, such as bilinear or trilinear, to help define how well a texture is mapped to a 3-D surface and how realistic the image appears. The one common denominator across all these functions is their reliance on fast memory access. Many newer graphics ICs also support dual display capabilities.