From Blobs to Beauty: How 1990 Solidified the VGA Standard
Do you remember what computer screens looked like before 1990? If you do, you probably recall a lot of neon green text or, if you were lucky, the jarring cyan and magenta of CGA graphics. It was functional, sure. But was it pretty? Absolutely not. Then came 1990. While VGA (Video Graphics Array) technically hit the scene with IBM’s PS/2 in 1987, 1990 was the year it stopped being a luxury and became the undisputed standard for PC users everywhere.
Suddenly, we weren’t just looking at digital blocks anymore; we were looking at photorealistic images. Well, as photorealistic as 640×480 pixels could get back then. This shift changed everything from office work to the bedroom gaming setup.
Why 1990 Was the Tipping Point
You might ask, “Why 1990?” Technology moves fast, but adoption takes time. By the start of the 90s, three massive things happened simultaneously:
- Clone Wars: Third-party manufacturers cracked the code. You didn’t need an expensive IBM machine anymore; affordable “clone” cards flooded the market.
- Monitor Prices Dropped: The chunky CRT monitors capable of displaying analog VGA signals finally became affordable for the middle class.
- Windows 3.0: Microsoft released Windows 3.0 in May 1990. This graphical interface begged for higher resolution and better colors.
The Magic Number: 256 Colors
Before this era, we dealt with palettes of 4 or 16 colors. Imagine trying to paint a sunset using only red, yellow, and blue markers. Tough, right? VGA introduced the legendary Mode 13h.
This allowed for 256 simultaneous colors on screen from a palette of over 262,000. For gamers and artists, this was like walking out of a cave into the sunlight. It paved the way for games that looked like cartoons rather than mathematical abstractions.
“VGA wasn’t just an upgrade; it was the moment the PC developed an artistic soul.”
| Feature | EGA (Old Standard) | VGA (1990 Standard) |
|---|---|---|
| Max Colors on Screen | 16 Colors | 256 Colors |
| Signal Type | Digital (TTL) | Analog |
| Typical Resolution | 640 x 350 | 640 x 480 |
| Visual Experience | Blocky, High Contrast | Smooth, Photorealistic shading |
Analog vs. Digital: A Counter-Intuitive Step?
Here is the weird part. Usually, in tech, we move from analog to digital. VGA did the opposite. It switched from the digital signals of EGA to analog signals. Why go “backwards”?
Because analog voltage can vary infinitely, whereas digital is just on or off. By using analog, VGA monitors could display varying shades of red, green, and blue intensity. This is what allowed for those smooth gradients in photos. It was a brilliant engineering workaround that kept costs down while skyrocketing visual quality.
Gaming Changed Forever
If you were a kid in 1990, you didn’t care about voltage. You cared about Commander Keen and The Secret of Monkey Island. VGA allowed game developers to create atmospheric lighting and complex sprites. The pixles were still there if you looked close, but they blended together to form worlds we actually wanted to get lost in.
The Legacy of the 15-Pin Connector
Take a look at the back of an old monitor or even some projectors today. See that blue, D-shaped connector with 15 pins? That is the DE-15 connector, the physical embodiment of the VGA standard.
It is astounding that a standard solidified in 1990 remained in active use on new laptops well into the 2010s. It was tough, reliable, and simply worked. While we have moved on to HDMI and DisplayPort for our 4K needs, the foundation of how computers handle color and resolution was built right here, thirty-something years ago.
So, the next time you marvel at a crystal-clear display, tip your hat to 1990. That was the year our computers finally learned to dream in color.
By 1990, the PC world quietly agreed on a common visual language: VGA. It wasn’t the flashiest tech, but it was everywhere—on business desktops, in home PCs, inside classrooms. With Windows 3.0 shipping a default 640×480 driver, and DOS software embracing 320×200 256‑color mode, VGA became the defacto standard people relied on daily.
| Standard | Introduced | Max Resolution | Colors On‑Screen | Palette Depth | Connector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGA | 1981 | 640×200 | 2–4 | Fixed | RGBI |
| EGA | 1984 | 640×350 | 16 | 64 | DE‑9 |
| VGA | 1987 | 640×480 | 256 (mode‑dependent) | 262,144 (6‑bit per channel) | DE‑15 (15‑pin) |
Why VGA Became The PC Standard In 1990
- Universal Compatibility: VGA preserved backward support for CGA/EGA/MDA modes, so old software ran, and new software could look better instantly.
- Software Momentum: DOS games favored Mode 13h (320×200×256), while Windows 3.0 normalized 640×480×16 for productivity.
- Affordable Clone Cards: By 1990, third‑party VGA boards were cheap, fast enough, and widely available, making upgrades simple.
- Analog Output: The 15‑pin connector delivered a clean, monitor‑friendly analog signal, improving image quality over earlier digital links.
Technical Snapshot
VGA’s hallmark was 640×480 at 60 Hz for general apps and 320×200×256 for rich color in games. A 6‑bit DAC per channel enabled a 262k‑color palette, with 256 entries selectable at once. Cards typically shipped with 256 KB of video RAM, supported hardware scrolling and split‑screen tricks, and drove the familiar DE‑15 connector.
What Users Noticed In Everyday Work
On the desk, text was sharper, icons were clearer, and spreadsheets fit more columns. In games, gradients and artwork popped in 256 colors, while utilities leaned on crisp 640×480 UI layouts. Upgraders kept their old monitors or swapped to VGA‑ready ones, and everything just worked.
Tip: If a DOS title mentions “VGA or better,” it usually targets Mode 13h. For sharper interfaces, look for 640×480×16. Simple rule, fewer surprises.
A Stable Base For The Next Step
VGA’s success also set the stage for SVGA: vendors pushed 800×600 and beyond, initially through proprietary modes. Standardization followed, but in 1990 the common target was still VGA—the safe harbor that software could trust. That stability is why so many PCs from that era looked and felt consistent, no matter the brand.
Looking back, VGA struck a rare balance: compatibility with the past, clarity for work, and color for play. It’s no surprise the standard that quietly won 1990 lingered for years—sometimes long after newer options had already occured.
