I think this is true for both companies, but i do think Nvidia are much more aggressive than AMD in that regard.
Yes.
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VRAM - AMD/Nvidia, why does it differ?
- Thread starter MooMoo444
- Start date
I think this is true for both companies, but i do think Nvidia are much more aggressive than AMD in that regard.
Yes.
Don't you just love the power of marketing, it was only a few months ago (just before the Hawaii announcement) that even AMD advertised 3GB as what you needed for gaming, has there really been that many games released in those few months that make 3GB not enough?
Other than that what has been said above about bus widths generally determines memory size and of course time to market, because if you release after its a great selling point to show you have bigger numbers.
Other than that what has been said above about bus widths generally determines memory size and of course time to market, because if you release after its a great selling point to show you have bigger numbers.
One thing that has not been mentioned is the quality of the VRAM chips used. On a 6gb Titan you can pull some huge memory overclocks, on a 4gb 290X you would be lucky to reach the Titan's stock memory clock and that's using a smaller amount of memory. There is a cost to quality as well.
I know you can do mismatched ram, Nvidia did it on some of their mid range cards. But, it's certainly not the best way to do things.
True, but
This is on Reference cards with Reference Coolers and no Memory overvolting.
There 7979 were running 1750, 1850 to 2000Mhz memory when they had decent coolers on them, they had memory overvolting.
AIB 290's should get the same and will clock well.
As for type and cost, AMD use exactly the same VRAM chips.
Deleted member 76686
Deleted member 76686
The people who play at 4k are a tiny minority thus most the issue regarding 3gb vs 4gb is moot any way. What I think is even worse was the amount of original 290 reference cards that may have 4gb but sadly that memory appears to be the inferior Elpida manufactured memory.
True, but
This is on Reference cards with Reference Coolers and no Memory overvolting.
There 7979 were running 1750, 1850 to 2000Mhz memory when they had decent coolers on them, they had memory overvolting.
AIB 290's should get the same and will clock well.
As for type and cost, AMD use exactly the same VRAM chips.
When I bench my 290Xs I use the fans @100% which means the cards run a lot cooler than @stock but it makes absolutely no difference to the memory, it still won't get anywhere near the clocks you can get on a Titan.
It is not just AMD who are guilty of using poor VRAM chips, there are a few GTX 780s out there that perform badly on the VRAM (MSI you cheapskates).
I'd like to think that was because of the gpu vram shortages when Hawaii launched as AMD reference cards have always used Hynix memory and we know how well that overclocks. The one plus side is with a 512bit bus, you don't need such high overclocks as you're already pumping out a higher bandwidth at stock.
Not many people do SLI/CF. The minority that do (probably less than 2% of PC owners) would buy a card, pop it in and play. 2GB is fine for 1080P and probably will be for a couple of years but when AA gets added to a point it breeches 2GB at 1080P, you will need double a 780/290 to power it, so by then, we should have a single card out that is fast enough with plenty of VRAM.
As i said, Reference cards with reference coolers, the VRAM chips aren't even cooled on the reference GPU's, actually its probably a good job there is no contact between the cooler and the Memory IC's, running as hot as those cards do the cooler would probably heat them up.
Better PCB's with better coolers and unlocked memory volting they will soon be running at 1750Mhz in the same way that any self respecting 7970 owner clocked their memory to that speed or more as soon as they installed it.
But There are Cheapskates, yes. just as you do with 780's and 7970's you make sure you know what your buying.
+1
Good marketing though
Step 1 Mug your customers into buying 3gb cards "good for 4K"
Step 2 Customers buy 4K monitor
Step 3 Customers buy latest games available in 6 to 12 months time and find out that they can not max games out @4K
Step 4 NVidia steps forward with solution to your problem "buy out latest 8gb card problem solved"
Once 4K is common place these forums are going to be full of posts about 3gb or 4gb not being enough for 4K.
As i said, Reference cards with reference coolers, the VRAM chips aren't even cooled on the reference GPU's, actually its probably a good job there is no contact between the cooler and the Memory IC's, running as hot as those cards do the cooler would probably heat them up.
Better PCB's with better coolers and unlocked memory volting they will soon be running at 1750Mhz in the same way that any self respecting 7970 owner clocked their memory to that speed or more as soon as they installed it.
But There are Cheapskates, yes. just as you do with 780's and 7970's you make sure you know what your buying.
I agree in principal but its likely the Elpida ram. Gold Elpida ram will get you 1700-1800mhz. Gold Hynix ram with get you 1900-2000Mhz. Basing that on a 7970/50. The 512bit bus may also place more demand on the memory, not sure on that though. I'd like to think Elpida will be phased out by quality AIB's and Hynix will start to take over.
I had to do a double take as this was the first thing i saw.
Excuse me its been a hard day at the orifice.
EDIT
OFFICE*
As i said, Reference cards with reference coolers, the VRAM chips aren't even cooled on the reference GPU's, actually its probably a good job there is no contact between the cooler and the Memory IC's, running as hot as those cards do the cooler would probably heat them up.
Better PCB's with better coolers and unlocked memory volting they will soon be running at 1750Mhz in the same way that any self respecting 7970 owner clocked their memory to that speed or more as soon as they installed it.
But There are Cheapskates, yes. just as you do with 780's and 7970's you make sure you know what your buying.
Don't forget 290Xs with full cover waterblocks don't do any better on the VRAM either.
One thing you can say in AMDs favour is @4K you don't need high VRAM clocks, a 512bit bus is far more useful. High VRAM clocks seem to make more of a difference when the fps is very high, this is not something that is going to happen @4K, there is going to be a lot more information in each frame which is where the 512bit bus will help more than high VRAM clockspeeds.