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128bit or 256bit?

Mr_SCSI

Mr_SCSI

Mr_SCSI

Suspended
Joined
8 Sep 2003
Posts
246
Location
UK
This confuses the hell out of me... Well to be honest gfx cards in general confuse the hell out of me, 128mb/128bit, 128mb/256bit, 256mb/256bit!! :confused:

What makes a gfx card 128bit or 256bit?

I get the fact 256bit is a whole lot better than 128bit.

Take the 9800 series... available in god knows how many variations!

9800
9800SE
9800 Pro
9800XT

Just after a dummies guide/explanation. :o
 
128/256bit refers to the memory controller and the arrangement of the ram. put simply, if the card has a 256bit arrangement it has double the theoretical bandwidth available compared to a 128bit card. that makes a hefty difference, especially at higher resolutions and with FSAA
 
james.miller said:
128/256bit refers to the memory controller and the arrangement of the ram. put simply, if the card has a 256bit arrangement it has double the bandwidth available compared to a 128bit card. that makes a hefty difference, especially at higher resolutions and with FSAA
Click to expand...
ah, bandwidth! ;)

So can you identify 128 or 256bit by the memory controller on the card, without ripping ** I mean carefully removing ** the cooler off?

EDIT **
 
if your talking about r9800's then yes, its very easy. its down to the shape of the ram. if its arranged in a row of 4 chips either side of the card at the top, its 128bit. if its two chips at the top and twop at the side of the core, on both sides of the card in an 'L' shape - its 256bit.

alternatively, ATi tool should be able to tell you.
 
james.miller said:
if your talking about r9800's then yes, its very easy. its down to the shape of the ram. if its arranged in a row of 4 chips either side of the card at the top, its 128bit. if its two chips at the top and twop at the side of the core, on both sides of the card in an 'L' shape - its 256bit.

alternatively, ATi tool should be able to tell you.
Click to expand...
bingo!

Thanx for that! :cool:
 
to save confusing, think of it like this...

think of the ram as "what holds the graphics textures" i.e. walls, skins objects ect, and think of the bit rate as the width of the pipe line between the ram on the graphics card and the graphics cards processor.

so, the more ram you have, the more textures you can store, the less fetching for textures in game and the better the performance.

and thus the higher bit rate, i.e. the width of the pipeline means the more info can be dragged from the ram and chucked into the Graphics processor.



simplistic and a little crude, but basically thats what its about.

so, 256mb + 256bit memory bus width = mo better gaming.

i hope that helps :)
 
james.miller said:
if your talking about r9800's then yes, its very easy. its down to the shape of the ram. if its arranged in a row of 4 chips either side of the card at the top, its 128bit. if its two chips at the top and twop at the side of the core, on both sides of the card in an 'L' shape - its 256bit.

alternatively, ATi tool should be able to tell you.
Click to expand...
The man knows what he says, he is 1 of the 9800 dadies
 
locutus12 said:
to save confusing, think of it like this...

think of the ram as "what holds the graphics textures" i.e. walls, skins objects ect, and think of the bit rate as the width of the pipe line between the ram on the graphics card and the graphics cards processor.

so, the more ram you have, the more textures you can store, the less fetching for textures in game and the better the performance.

and thus the higher bit rate, i.e. the width of the pipeline means the more info can be dragged from the ram and chucked into the Graphics processor.



simplistic and a little crude, but basically thats what its about.
Oi mate. you are becomming James bitch :D

so, 256mb + 256bit memory bus width = mo better gaming.

i hope that helps :)
Click to expand...
Oi mate, you have become 1 of jimes Bitch's
 
locutus12 said:
to save confusing, think of it like this...

think of the ram as "what holds the graphics textures" i.e. walls, skins objects ect, and think of the bit rate as the width of the pipe line between the ram on the graphics card and the graphics cards processor.

so, the more ram you have, the more textures you can store, the less fetching for textures in game and the better the performance.

and thus the higher bit rate, i.e. the width of the pipeline means the more info can be dragged from the ram and chucked into the Graphics processor.



simplistic and a little crude, but basically thats what its about.

so, 256mb + 256bit memory bus width = mo better gaming.

i hope that helps :)
Click to expand...
Thanx,

256 wide pipe allows better flow than a 128 wide pipe! ;) Now thats simplistic and crude! :D

James explaining the memory chip layout was spot on...

:cool:
 
james.miller said:
lol cheers guys. if theres one thing i do know it's ati.

http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=154428&highlight=r9500+r9700
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=211994

3 years ago. it goes quick doesnt it? - pegasus i'm honoured mate. i'll be at a meet soon
Click to expand...
Blimey!

So is it worth the effort modding a 'I' spec 9800SE 256mb with the measly 128bit interface?

Only good thing about the card, if it works is it's got the 2.8ns hynix memory chips, instead of the 3.3ns infineon chips.
 
james.miller said:
yeah go for it. you'll end up with a super-pumped r9500 (8 pipelines, 128bit memory but running a fair bit faster).
Click to expand...
9500 beats anything I have here so why not... if it works, waiting on a board to arrive to test it.

Thanx for all the info James much appreciated! :cool:
 
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