1gb vs. 512 cards

B1gg3stN00b · Jul 12, 2008

I can get a 3650 Radeon for my HTPC/lite gaming rig with 512mb video RAM for about 70$, and for 10$ more than get it with 1gb memory, but my friend says it is useless to have so much memory on a slow card like that and won't make a difference.

What will the extra 512mb memory do for performance/speed?

Darknova · Jul 12, 2008

Nothing. He's right, that amount of extra memory on a card like that will do nothing for performance.

B1gg3stN00b · Jul 12, 2008

What WILL it do then?

Will it be a big difference on the 4850?

Darknova · Jul 12, 2008

B1gg3stN00b said:
What WILL it do then?

Will it be a big difference on the 4850?

4850, maybe. Not a huge difference, but there will be a difference I think.

But on a 3650 or other low-end card. No way.

rangerone766 · Jul 12, 2008

B1gg3stN00b said:
What WILL it do then?

Will it be a big difference on the 4850?

it will make it cost more

Squirrely · Jul 12, 2008

On that low of a card, nope.

As other people have said, it might benefit some on higher chips, but it will be minimal. Heck, on some tests, as a comparison, I believe the 1gb 8800gt scores slower (1-3%) than the 512mb 8800gt, lol.

It just all comes down to the memory bit interface. A card can usually only use twice its memory bit interface efficiently (in mb). Such as a 256 bit memory interface 4850, can really only use 512mb of memory efficiently. At super high res the extra ram may be helpful, but in normal use, it will not.

KainXS · Jul 12, 2008

The 4850 could probably use 1GB nicelybut on a 3650 with an already weakish gpu and a 128bit bus It wouldn't do much of anything

Darknova · Jul 12, 2008

KainXS said:
The 4850 would chomp even 1GB but on a 3650 with an already weakish gpu and a 128bit bus It wouldn't do much of anything

Fixed

Jansku07 · Jul 12, 2008

Go for the GDDR3 models with HD3650. 256MB is more than enough for this GPU (got one myself

).

KainXS · Jul 12, 2008

lol, I fixed it just as you said sir

sneekypeet · Jul 12, 2008

Wouldnt the 1GB version be for super high res TV/LCD screens? Thats the only way I could see it to be useful!

Megasty · Jul 12, 2008

The 4850 could use the extra ram because of the powerful GPU but on anything lower its complete overkill. Its more of a gimmick than anything.

GSG-9 · Jul 12, 2008

Squirrely said:
On that low of a card, nope.

As other people have said, it might benefit some on higher chips, but it will be minimal. Heck, on some tests, as a comparison, I believe the 1gb 8800gt scores slower (1-3%) than the 512mb 8800gt, lol.

It just all comes down to the memory bit interface. A card can usually only use twice its memory bit interface efficiently (in mb). Such as a 256 bit memory interface 4850, can really only use 512mb of memory efficiently. At super high res the extra ram may be helpful, but in normal use, it will not.

and thats not even always true, the 2900Pro/XT was 512bit with a Gig of ram but it had a bottleneck in the core so the extra memory and extended bandwidth did nothing.

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1gb vs. 512 cards

B1gg3stN00b

New Member

Darknova

B1gg3stN00b

New Member

Darknova

rangerone766

Squirrely

KainXS

Darknova

Jansku07

New Member

KainXS

sneekypeet

Retired Super Moderator

Megasty

New Member

GSG-9

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