Slashdot Mirror
Pushing The 512MB Barrier On Video Cards
Hack Jandy writes "Remeber your ancient TNT graphics card that had 16MB of memory? ATI is pushing the texture barrier by incorporating 512MB in their newest X850 video card lineup. The catch? Even ATI acknowledges there will probably be no performance benefits to bumping the memory support from 256MB to 512MB as the cards are 'intended to demonstrate the next-generation capability to gamers." An anonymous reader points out that Gainward (which sells NVidia-based graphics cards), will shortly introduce its own 512MB card, according to Hexus.net.
Because it is bigger than 256.
TWICE as big!!!
If my email tells me anything, size DOES matter.
[I can picture a world without war, without hate. I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it]
with 16 pixel and 6 vertex pipelines clocked at 540MHz. The graphics card's 512MB of DDR3 SDRAM operate at 1180MHz speed and have 256-bit memory interface.
Kinda sad but this card is more powerful then my PC on it's stats alone
The rock, the vulture, and the chain
Even ATI acknowledges there will probably be no performance benefits...
Now if we can just get those razor manufacturers to say the same about that 5th blade.
A programmer is a machine for converting coffee into code.
"Remeber your ancient TNT graphics card that had 16MB of memory?"
Okay, I knew the average age of slashdotters wasn't exactly "is allowed in most bars", but, yeesh, 1999 is now ancient?
Cue the "I remember whens"!
The most anyone would ever need for video RAM is 640 MB. You can quote me on that.
Learn to love Alaska
Translation: Even though it's not practical, we'll sell it since gamers will buy it.
:D
l4m3r> W00t, I got me new gfx
l0zr> What, cant be faster than my x800, lamo!
l4m3r> but wait, its got half a gig of ram!
l0zr> wooooah, joo r000lz!
l4m3r> lets play quake 1!
l0zr> yeah, th4ts sooooo 0ldsk00l!
"It's the weird color-scheme that freaks me. Every time you try to operate one of these weird black controls, which are labeled in black on a black background, a small black light lights up black to let you know you've done it."
the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
You'll never need more than 640k...
It's all about numbers. ATI and nVidia can increase clock speed and double memory and make it look really impressive. Sound cards can't really do that. Rubbish. My 512.1 sound card will rock the audio world... They're a bugger to set up, though... "Front left. Front slightly less left. Not quite so front but still on the left"...
The rare occurence of this sort of profoundly geeky post is why I still come to slashdot. God bless you, crazy GPU vector coprocessor finite difference code matrix guy!
When I overclocked my soundcard, I thought I had broke it. The dog wasn't happy either.