Graphic Cards 256MB or 512MB GPU Query

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cool_techie_tvm

Disciple
I recently ordered for a Dell Studio 1555, which comes with 256MB GPU. The GPU memory can be upgraded to 512MB, so i chose it while customizing my product.

It has already been shipped and i am waiting for the product.

Today i come to see in some forums that there wont be considerable improvement even if the GPU memory is upgraded to 512MB. Why? Because the GPU in question utilizes a 64-bit bus memory bandwidth.

The GPU i am speaking about is the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570

Notebookcheck: AMD ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570

Please enlighten me..

Thanks
 
^ 64bit memory controller has nothing to do with the amount of memory that the GPU can handle, but throughput speed of that memory.

I'd say, more VRAM can be beneficial--it simply depends on the game..:)
 
Nope, 64bit bus width is too narrow for games. VRAM size hence becomes irrelevant 128mb and 512mb will perform similar on that chip.

Imagine a scenario, where there a huge lake separated by a wall. Now if there is just a tap releasing the water, it doesn't matter how big the lake is... I know a corny example :p
 
^ i mean, prolly in texture intensive games, or with eye candy where more VRAM is beneficial, though performance increase would be slight.. :)

Your example is indeed a corny one..:p
 
^ so muzu whats differance in -

'performance increase would be slight'

and

'64bit memory bus cant utilize 512MB VRAM properly'.
 
Here's how it is for video RAM:-
On a 64 bit bus, max= 256 MB
On a 128 Bus, max= 512 MB
On 192 bit, max= 768 MB
And only 256bit or higher can utilize 1GB or more properly.

That's the reason ATi favours higher spec memory to fill the deficeit of the smaller bus. When sapphire made their non reference 4670, they used GDDR4 memory instead of bumping the standard 512GDDR3 to 1GB.

Simply put, a card with a 64bit bus, if at stock spec has 256MB of memory, will benefit more from faster memory as opposed to more of the same memory, whereas a 128bit card with the same base memory will benefit more from larger(more) memory.
 
muzux2 said:
^ i mean, prolly in texture intensive games, or with eye candy where more VRAM is beneficial, though performance increase would be slight.. :)

Your example is indeed a corny one..:p
Click to expand...

Nope, thats what I had been trying to tell Simluation,, too. VRAM becomes meaningless if your chip is under-powered, or in this case as the bus widh is too narrow.

When will games require more memory, when the textures are really big, and they need to be stored in memory for quick access. Now that brings me back to the point what is the point of storing huge textures if they cannot be accessed when required, which will lead to slow down in games. In 64bit chips, the memory needs to be clocked insanely quick to get the throughput at the desired levels.
 
Aces170 said:
Nope, thats what I had been trying to tell Simluation,, too. VRAM becomes meaningless if your chip is under-powered, or in this case as the bus widh is too narrow.

When will games require more memory, when the textures are really big, and they need to be stored in memory for quick access. Now that brings me back to the point what is the point of storing huge textures if they cannot be accessed when required, which will lead to slow down in games. In 64bit chips, the memory needs to be clocked insanely quick to get the throughput at the desired levels.
Click to expand...
Thanks for clarifying it..
Does the amount of memory that the GPU can handle depends on MC? plz clarify it between Robo & me.:p
 
Nvidia's and ATI low end chips have a bad habit of lowering bus width to decrease costs. So unless you post a GPUZ of your lappie you will not be certain.

Even Rojakpot's guide doesn't have it listed, as its upto OEM specifications...
 
Amien said:
Here's how it is for video RAM:-
On a 64 bit bus, max= 256 MB
On a 128 Bus, max= 512 MB
On 192 bit, max= 768 MB
And only 256bit or higher can utilize 1GB or more properly.

That's the reason ATi favours higher spec memory to fill the deficeit of the smaller bus. When sapphire made their non reference 4670, they used GDDR4 memory instead of bumping the standard 512GDDR3 to 1GB.

Simply put, a card with a 64bit bus, if at stock spec has 256MB of memory, will benefit more from faster memory as opposed to more of the same memory, whereas a 128bit card with the same base memory will benefit more from larger(more) memory.
Click to expand...

+1

10chars
 
cool_techie_tvm said:
Guys i think there has been a mess up .

I mean i am getting varied reports of this card posessing 64 bit and 128 bit memory bus bandwidths..

I was in the opinion that it is 64 bit according to Notebookcheck: AMD ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570

But in http://www.techenclave.com/reviews-and-previews/review-dell-studio-15-1555-a-134012.html there is a GPU-Z screenie for the same card and it displays memory bus bandwidth as 128 bit.

Checkout ImageShack - Image Hosting :: gpuz.gif
Click to expand...

But if you notice, in the same thread at post # 6, Arihant.EXE has clarified that it is a 64bit gddr3 card after having used the latest version of gpu-z
 
Hope the OP knows that 4570 512MB is Wayyyyyy less performing than 3670 256MB...

Do look for lappy's offering a HD3670 too (if any) :p
 
Amien said:
Here's how it is for video RAM:-
On a 64 bit bus, max= 256 MB
On a 128 Bus, max= 512 MB
On 192 bit, max= 768 MB
And only 256bit or higher can utilize 1GB or more properly.

That's the reason ATi favours higher spec memory to fill the deficeit of the smaller bus. When sapphire made their non reference 4670, they used GDDR4 memory instead of bumping the standard 512GDDR3 to 1GB.

Simply put, a card with a 64bit bus, if at stock spec has 256MB of memory, will benefit more from faster memory as opposed to more of the same memory, whereas a 128bit card with the same base memory will benefit more from larger(more) memory.
Click to expand...
i dont think so cos there are memory controllers even on cpu's that utilize much more memory on the same bandwidth

regarding sapphire non-reference, 512mb buffer is enough for the amount of horsepower the card has.......faster memory only boasts performance only if the bottleneck is memory bandwidth and not buffer.......as in the case of hd 4670.....and if the bottleneck is buffer not bandwidth then a faster ram wont yield as much benefit as increasing the ram.....as in case of 4870.....

though this is what i could conclude

do clarify if you know more:)
 
taher said:
i dont think so cos there are memory controllers even on cpu's that utilize much more memory on the same bandwidth

regarding sapphire non-reference, 512mb buffer is enough for the amount of horsepower the card has.......faster memory only boasts performance only if the bottleneck is memory bandwidth and not buffer.......as in the case of hd 4670.....and if the bottleneck is buffer not bandwidth then a faster ram wont yield as much benefit as increasing the ram.....as in case of 4870.....

though this is what i could conclude

do clarify if you know more:)
Click to expand...

There is no point in comparing MC of CPus and Gpus... CPus are much higher clocked than GPUS..

Also as already said getting high memory on low IMC is non-sense.. Its just market gimmick to attract newbies.. Its just like the lake example..

I still see people buying 1gig 9500GT .. and they still consider that card to perfrom better than 9800GT which is unimaginable :p

@Op.. Take on screenshot of GPUZ that will rectfiy any doubts and queries that you have :p
 
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