VPU speed vs OnBoard Ram ( Video Card)

[Naga]

First card : Radeon 9600 325 mhz core /// 256 MB

Second card : Radeon 9600Pro 400 mhz core ///128 MB


http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-295&depa=1

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=14-102-426&depa=1

also : do i get the update drivers from " Sapphire " or from the " ATI " website?

 

[Naga]

even despite having 1/2 the ram as the 9600?

 

[ChaosBlizzard]

The 128mb card you have listed has less RAM, but it's faster RAM. Look at the effective speed ratings.

If you can afford $50 bucks more, get this and get the best of both:
http://www.buyxg.com/store/item.asp?id=674&catID=120

 

[Naga]

does the faster ram compensate that much for the " lack " of it?

 

[ChaosBlizzard]

Well no, it's not going to switch textures out and back from the hard drive faster because the RAM is faster. That means it will be able to worth with the textures in the video card itself faster. But you should get the faster card. If the video card runs out of RAM for textures, it will borrow system SDRAM/DDR. That's what AGP aperture is in the BIOS.

I would get the faster card myself.

 

[Naga]

thanks for the advice, i figured a faster core would be a better idea

 

[ChaosBlizzard]

No problem. You would notice better performance with the faster card. Besides, you wouldn't enable all the features in a game for video anyway. Yes, it would fill up and use lots of RAM, but the card wouldn't be fast enough to keep up with it all.

 

[4W4K3]

what exactly do you need 256mb gfz card for Naga? i find people who play CS and older games buying 256mb vid cards when they can't even use them. I usually don't recommend a 256 card unless they can show me a program or 2 that really takes advantage of that much RAM.

 

[Naga]

that is what i was thinking, maybe some 3d cad program out there w/ alot of environment varibles - but if was doing that i wouldnt be buying a radeion card

i just a noob that needs to confirm stuff

 

[ChaosBlizzard]

I already told you what happens when the VPU runs out of memory. It simply supplements with the systems memory.