I remember back when Matrox shipped its very first graphics card out of Dorval, Quebec, in 1978—three years before the IBM PC even existed. That makes them the original graphics card pioneer, full stop. Fast-forward to 2023, and Matrox did something fascinating: They partnered with Intel —another genuine pioneer, having helped invent the integrated CPU back in 1968—to launch the Luma series. Powered by Intel Arc GPUs, Luma cards can drive up to 16 simultaneous displays at 5K resolution, making them the quiet powerhouse behind digital signage walls, control rooms, and financial trading floors worldwide.
Matrox was founded in Dorval, Quebec, in 1976 and shipped its first graphics AIB, the Alt-256, in 1978, three years before the IBM PC showed up. It is, by our accounting, the pioneer graphics AIB supplier. Meanwhile, Intel was founded in 1968, and although not the first semiconductor company, it was a pioneer, one of the first to ship an integrated CPU.
In April 2023, Matrox announced the Luma series of AIBs, which are powered by Intel Arc discrete GPUs (specifically, the Arc A310 and A380).
Figure 1. Matrox’s Arc-based Luma lineup. (Source: Matrox)
Table 1. Matrox’s Luma specifications (Source: Matrox)
Although it occupies a single expansion slot, the Luma Pro A380 Octal packs dual Intel Arc 380E processors and 12 GB of GDDR6 video memory into its slim profile. Eight Mini DisplayPort 2.0 outputs deliver simultaneous multi-screen output across eight displays at 5K or 4K resolution.
Pairing two Luma Pro A380 Octal cards scales that capability to 16 simultaneous displays. This makes it a compelling solution for space-constrained deployments requiring large video wall configurations—including digital signage networks, control room monitoring infrastructure, and high-density financial trading environments.
The AIBs can drive up to two 8K displays or up to eight synchronized 5K displays or projectors. The PCI Express 4.0 boards are designed for powering IP-based video walls and digital signage apps, while APIs, SDKs, and libraries can be used to create custom control functions and applications for any multi-display installation. TAA-compliant SKUs are available.
Matrox competes with Jupiter Systems in the video and command and control video wall market, and a few others like Barco.
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