Assuming a 512MB graphics board costs roughly $150 more than a 256MB board ........

***Zardon*** · Mar 2, 2005, 12:59 PM

would you want one? vote

**MIG-31** · Mar 2, 2005, 01:05 PM

Too expensive.... imo.

would be nice to have 512mg card but have not had my x800pro long enough.

**Vikingod** · Mar 2, 2005, 01:07 PM

maybe in a few years, when it might really matter in games, but the graphics are only as pretty as they are programed.

nofool · Mar 2, 2005, 01:17 PM

I never imagined that I'd still be running my ancient 2.6GHz P4 on an Intel 850 mobo (AGP 4X), but, hey, it runs just great with 1 GB of 800 MHz RAM, even if it is single-channel. What makes it possible to hang in today, tho, is the X800 Pro vid card. Its 256MB memory has been more than the equal of any requirement I've seen to date.

Doom III was not "ATI-friendly", but even so I played it on Ultra setting (yeah, no kidding) by overclocking the core and memory to 525 MHz and 515 MHz respectively. Half Life 2 required no overclocking at all, and all settings were maxed.

I fully expected to be running a PCIe rig by now, but the rollout of PCI Express has been a three-stooges nightmare and even now there are huge concerns about components, drivers, service pack 2, etc., etc. So, the last thing I need to worry about now is some 512 MB video card. If there were any games that required such a thing that I wanted so bad I couldn't stand it, I'd see if I could get an AGP version. It'll be a LONG time before I jump off into the uncertainties of PCIe as we've seen it so far.

CDsDontBurn · Mar 2, 2005, 01:31 PM

for an extra $150 more, yea i'd get a 512Mb card. The average price i'm seeing for the 6800GTs is around $400 (US), so yea, i'd pay $550 for a 512Mb version of the 6800GT. Games will soon require more than 256Mb of video memory and it's nice to stay ahead of the game sometimes

.

***Zardon*** · Mar 2, 2005, 01:52 PM

512 will help with modern titles at resolutions like 1600x1200. however if you have a 15inch monitor and game at 800x600 or 1024x768 its pretty much a waste of time.

Danhill · Mar 2, 2005, 02:15 PM

No not now, maybe next year.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Mar 2, 2005, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zardon

512 will help with modern titles at resolutions like 1600x1200. however if you have a 15inch monitor and game at 800x600 or 1024x768 its pretty much a waste of time.

I'd still do it...

I have a 19" monitor and game at only 1024x768 becouse I hate setting up my monitor.. it has to be just right the boarders etc... When I go other resoultions it looks wrong.. if I fix it when ? I go back to my desktop .. I'm fixing it again.. repeat...

So I pick a resoultion that I like for my desktop and stick with it for eveything...
If I coose much larger the text starts getting smaller then I like for fast, easy
and heavy reading...

Anyways wouldn't that extra ram still help with running high AA/AF
high quailty texures etc?

J0rs · Mar 2, 2005, 02:59 PM

If I had a monitor that was capable of a res higher than 1280X1024, then I would spend the extra money. For now, my 128mb 9800 pro (flashed to xt) is fine.

studbagel9 · Mar 2, 2005, 04:38 PM

Remember when video cards were 300 dollars for the high end? ::smile:: ::tear:: What happened to the good old days. 700 dollars for a video card is completely outrageous.

Raptor · Mar 2, 2005, 05:04 PM

Nope. Too expensive....

Drakon · Mar 2, 2005, 05:19 PM

too expensive indeed. besides i don't game @ 1600 x 1200.

GutterPunk · Mar 2, 2005, 05:20 PM

No thanks but if i could afford it heck yeah! my 9800pro does its justice

swimtech · Mar 2, 2005, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zardon

512 will help with modern titles at resolutions like 1600x1200. however if you have a 15inch monitor and game at 800x600 or 1024x768 its pretty much a waste of time.

Yup, there you are...

I game on a 17" running 1024x768, much like Neon am very picky about the geometry so I leave it (occasionlly dropping down to 800x600).

Will likely get a 21" or better "display" late this year or early next year though and have read that the extra onboard video ram helped modern games at high res. I'm admittedly not up to speed on the whys and wherefores of exactly what is stored in video ram though (I started losing track after 8meg video cards with 3d, z dimension, aa,af, etc. was implemented) and do wonder why so much ram is needed. I'm familiar with why, but not versed.

Maybe a primer thread in the tech discussion area when you get a chance?

FDM80 · Mar 2, 2005, 05:55 PM

Personally I think something is wrong when you can build a half decent PC running, for instance, an Athlon XP processor and you can spend $600. Or $600 for a 512MB card. A high end video card can approach 50% of someone's budget for a rig. That's just too high a percentage going to one piece of a machine.

CDsDontBurn · Mar 2, 2005, 06:25 PM

my personal rule of thumb for a gaming machine is that the cost of both the CPU and MoBo should be about half the cost of the video card(s). Of course, not everybody can afford such parts, so they gotta cut corners here and there.

No_Style · Mar 2, 2005, 06:31 PM

I'm picky about the set up with my monitor which is why I enjoy everything being played at 1280x960 @ 85 Hz and VSYNC. So if a 512 MB card is needed for me to play my games at this resolution with a touch of AA/AF then I guess I'd shell out for a 512MB card.

Zelig · Mar 2, 2005, 06:31 PM

Nope, I won't be buying a card for such a price.

I picked up my 128MB R360 core 9800 pro for under $300 canadian just after the 6800 ultra was announced, and it's still doing me fine. I can't see myself spending anything over $300 (canadian) on a new video card anytime soon.

I barely game anymore, and mostly older games at that, so I'd rather spend my money on other stuff.

No_Style · Mar 2, 2005, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zelig

I picked up my 128MB R360 core 9800 pro for under $300 canadian just after the 6800 ultra was announced, and it's still doing me fine. I can't see myself spending anything over $300 (canadian) on a new video card anytime soon.

Hey I did that as well.

kelticknight · Mar 2, 2005, 08:48 PM

got my x800xt pe late in dec 04.at time was king,now the x850xt pe is.both have 256 ram.now a 512 card.haven't see a game yet that uses the full 256ram yet alone 128 ram.all l can see is ati and nvidia trying to beat each other with most powerful of cards at the customers expense.most peoples wallets don't always have that kind of money.for me for now l like to get my worths out of my x800xt pe.maybe in 2006 i'll think about it,if its more than 540 euros that l payed for my current card ,the answer is NO BLODY WAY
CHEERS

BWX · Mar 2, 2005, 09:23 PM

Considering how expensive they are already, no way.. Maybe another $50 to $75, but $150 on top of an already insanely expensive product is way too much for the rare instances that the extra 256mb would actually even be beneficial.

eggs420 · Mar 2, 2005, 10:20 PM

No freaking way. I can see some folks going for it, but too rich for my blood. I'll stick with very playable resolutions and performance, and pay car insurance or something with the extra...

The_Neon_Cowboy · Mar 3, 2005, 01:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by studbagel9

Remember when video cards were 300 dollars for the high end? ::smile:: ::tear:: What happened to the good old days. 700 dollars for a video card is completely outrageous.

Did that card have 512mb of ram? runing at insane speeds? a 500mhz gpu? 16 pipelines? etc?
NO!

No? you have your answer... A beter product = a higher price..... Not only becouse it's better and faster becouse it's newer and more expensive to produce... card parts aren't free....

the extra 256mb of VERY EXPENSIVE MEMORY, extra parts, diffrent design
they've got to recoup thier money....

I mean you don't see any one crying about top end car prices... It's the same big fancy car with sweete body (card) a big engine ( GPU+MEM) and fully loaded naturally cost more then a generic car with a small engine and no options (features)....

Actally $300 isn't what it once was eather! Not in the lest... Actually I'm ptrrry sure I paid closer to $350 for my 1st radeon 64mb ddr vivo (183/183 & 2 pixel pipes) and that was after the price dropped!!!...

I mean I guess they could make a card much like the 9600XT with 512mb of ram for you guys but I doubt that would pass muster

You guys are fuuny you want you cake and eat it too! But someone has to pay the baker!
Stuff isn't free....

Ev!L-aLphA · Mar 3, 2005, 02:00 AM

same i just got my x800xt pe a couple of monthes ago... its really tempting but to expensive at the moment.. my next pc upgrade (in a year or two) will have PCI-E and hopfully a 512 mb card (or even 1gb card

)

Danhill · Mar 3, 2005, 02:02 AM

Neon, only you would compare a car with a videocard lol.

I think that the price on the video cards is going to rise more.

As I said eariler, now I wouldn't pay 150$ for another 256 Mb, I'm guessing that when it's time for me to change the card in a year or so then the cards that are available by then, they allready have 512 Mb I guess.