Development of the Silicon Graphics O2 began in the early 1990s as a successor to SGI's earlier Iris Indigo computers. The goal was to create a powerful and affordable graphics workstation for professional users. The O2 was first introduced in 1996 and quickly became a popular choice in the industry.

The Silicon Graphics O2 offered an impressive range of specs for its time. For example, the O2 was equipped with the MIPS R5000 processor, which had a clock speed of 180 MHz to 300 MHz. This processor provided significant computing power for graphics applications and data processing.

The O2 featured an integrated graphics subsystem with OpenGL support, enabling advanced 3D rendering and rendering. It had a maximum resolution of 1920x1200 pixels and supported a wide range of color depths.

The O2 came with the IRIX operating system, a Unix variant specially developed by SGI. IRIX provided advanced tools and functionality for graphics applications, enabling users to work efficiently.

The Silicon Graphics O2 was widely used in the entertainment industry, especially in the film and animation sector. The workstation provided the power and graphics capabilities needed to create complex 3D effects and visual effects. Movies such as "Jurassic Park", "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" and "Independence Day" were some of the well-known productions in which the O2 was used.

In addition, the O2 also found application in other industries, such as aviation, automotive design and scientific research. It was used for simulations, data analysis, CAD design and other demanding tasks requiring advanced graphics performance.