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Thread: 256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

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    256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

    I am looking at a 8600GT card for my next build. I don't play games so raw 3d performance is not a requirement. What I don't understand is the memory on the card and the effects this has to performance for desktops. I plan to buy a 24 TFT as well - would more memory help performance in desktop usage? Or is it a waste to spend slightly more on 512Mb card because I don't use it for gaming.

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    Re: 256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

    Its a waste to spend extra on the 512mb version. If you dont do any 3d work, then you'll never even come close to using 256mb

    The large vga memory helps at high resolution gaming, particularly with textures. Something you'll never need.

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    Re: 256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

    If you are not using it for gaming or cad type stuff, you probably only need maybe 32meg.

    And putting 512meg in a 8600GT is also pointless as the benefit is at high resolutions and texture details that it would not have sufficient power to use anyway.

    256meg is fine for a new card.
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    Re: 256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

    I concur with the two above posters.

    Frankly, 32MB would be perfectly acceptable for 99.9% of 2d uses. You certainly do not need a 512MiB card.

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    Re: 256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

    If it's just a genral pc though with nothing fancy if you buy a motherboard with on board vga you won't even need a card.

    If you want to buy one though an 8400 or 8500 will be more than enough.

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    Re: 256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

    What I don't understand is the memory on the card and the effects this has to performance for desktops.
    basically None, if I remember correctly to display a desktop at 1600x1200 at 32bit colour requires the vast sum of 8mb of graphics card memory.
    Granted 24" tft monitors often go to higher resolutions (1920x1200 is common) but that should only push it into 16mb.

    I'd agree with Andy3536 that a 8400 or 8500 will be fine for deaktop only stuff, if you want to dip your toe into gameing now and again a 8600 would be better (just don't expect to run games at the native resolution)
    I'd also say that if the motherboard has onboard graphics, they will be more than enough for just running a desktop in high res.

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    Re: 256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

    When only using desktop applications, onboard graphics will be fine, with an 8400 being enough if you dont have them. If you may game in the future, go for the 8600gt 256mb, but certainly not the 512mb one.

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    Re: 256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

    Thanks all - think I save the money and go for a 8600 GT - may even look a the 8500 as gaming is very very low priority. I may delve into some 3d stuff though on the linux desktop such as compiz and beryl but sounds like the 8600GT will more than satisfy my requirements and provide some headroom for the future.

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    Re: 256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

    Quote Originally Posted by alexkoon View Post
    Thanks all - think I save the money and go for a 8600 GT - may even look a the 8500 as gaming is very very low priority. I may delve into some 3d stuff though on the linux desktop such as compiz and beryl but sounds like the 8600GT will more than satisfy my requirements and provide some headroom for the future.
    Well beryl is dead.. But yeah, even a silly old GPU (people regularly run compiz on PCI radeon 9000 cards) will run compiz, a 8500 will smoke it.
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    Re: 256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

    Strangley I sold a bunch of the 8500GT and 8600GT x 512mb cards on eBay but the 256Mb ones never sold very well. People are so deluded by how graphics cards work. Basically if you want larger reolutions you need more RAM, BUT you also need faster processing that can handle all the gaming processes to support that. However the 8500GT and 8600GT will never have the grunt to support decend playable frame rates at the higher resolutions so the extra memory is wasted completely! As most other have said dont bother 256 MB is more than enough.

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    Re: 256 vs 512 Memory - effects?

    Not to mention the 128bit memory band width on the 8500 and 8600

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