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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.
ATI's 512 Megs of RAM makes no difference when compared to 256 Megs of RAM. NVidia's 512 Megs of RAM makes all the difference in the world to a Linux user like me. When you're dealing with a superior technology (Linux, NVidia, ALSA, etc...), hardware is always going to be the main factor. When you're dealing with inferior technology they are going to implement as much as they can in software (Hello ATI). Flame on dudes...
-"...bad old ideas look confusingly fresh when they are packaged as technology" - Jaron Lanier (Digital Maoism on Edge.o
I remember thinking a Mac Mini is obsolete the day you buy it since, among other things, it only comes with 32MB video RAM
Yep, and once again I call on all Mac fans to SCREAM at Apple, aren't they supposed to be the 'graphics leader'? Wait, that was back in 1991 when they started losing that title (ATI Vantage and 8514 IBM accelerated adapters on the PC were blazing fast compared to the video in Macs at that point, and Apple hasn't caught up yet.). (Even today, the video in the Macs is usually the middle of the Road ATI video card, and PC users can get a much faster version of the card.)
It is really sad considering even 99.9% of the generic video cards you can buy today have 64-128mb of RAM.
It is also really sad if these Mac people that buy them think they are going to EVER run any graphically intense game (not that there are many for the Mac).
My 4year old notebook has a more advanced video card in it than the new mini-mac. For a mini, you would think they could at least hit the PC standards for laptop video back in 2001.
Don't flag me as an Apple basher, I am someone that wants them to do great things, but Apple fans simply buying into their marketing instead of questioning what Apple is telling them isn't helping anyone but Apple make money off of ignorance and loyalty.
If people want to trust Apple as their graphics and technological leader, they need to be yelling at Apple that this is not good enough. In fact, not one Mac on the Apple site has the BEST graphics available today, why?
True Apple fans, tell Apple this is NOT acceptable.