Riva 128ZX

RIVA 128ZX refined the RIVA 128 family with later memory and AGP-oriented board options.

NV3 / RIVARIVA SeriesDesktopSDR1998NVIDIA

Key Metrics

Architecture
NV3 / RIVA
Launch Date
1998-02-23
Memory
8 MB SDR
Memory Bandwidth
1.6 GB/s
Interface
AGP 2x
Process Node
ST 350 nm
Bus Width
128-bit
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Why It Mattered

RIVA 128ZX extended the useful life of NVIDIA's first mainstream-successful architecture before RIVA TNT arrived. Its value in the wiki is in showing how fast late-1990s graphics cards evolved even inside one product family.

Collector Notes

Look for clear ZX chip markings, 8 MB configurations, AGP board layouts, partner BIOS labels, and complete retail bundles. ZX boards are easy to mislabel because many sellers only recognize the broader RIVA 128 name.

Common Failure Points

The common issue is misidentification. RIVA 128ZX, RIVA 128, and TNT-era cards can be mixed in listings, and unsupported driver combinations may hide the actual card behavior.

Reviews1 review

Board-partner, reference-card, article, and video reviews that cover this GPU.

Related GPUs

Back to RIVA Series

Previous in series: Riva 128 PCI
Sources

Sources reviewed: 2026-08-13

This entry is still being source-checked.

Data confidence and source status

Partial entry. Core specifications may be present, but history, variant notes, known issues, and source review may be incomplete.

  • Verified: core specifications and historical notes have been reviewed against listed sources.
  • Partial: core specifications may be present, but history, variant notes, known issues, and source review may be incomplete.
  • Imported: spec-only imported entry pending editorial source review.
  • Needs source review: narrative notes are incomplete until reviewed.

Primary / manufacturer sources

  1. DOS Days RIVA 128 SeriesBoard examples, memory notes, clocks, and period contextOpen source
  2. NVIDIA Sets Unprecedented 3D Performance Level with New RIVA 128ZX ProcessorOfficial February 23, 1998 RIVA 128ZX unveiling specifying 8 MB and a 128-bit frame-buffer interfaceOpen source

Independent reference sources

  1. TechPowerUp Riva 128ZX GPU SpecsModel-level specification referenceOpen source

Other sources

  1. RIVA 128 128-bit 3D multimedia accelerator datasheetProduct-level feature and memory-interface referenceOpen source
  2. 86Box RIVA 128 architecture historyTechnical history and emulator-oriented architecture contextOpen source

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