DDDR doesn't make double the size it's double the speed. If you add two 256MB sticks, DDR or not you still only get 512MB.
ok i have an update on what i am doing but i need some advice i am going to get a gig of ram just one stick will that work? and also i am going to upgrade my self to a ati 9800 128mb is that ok i can sell my old one for that. thanks
i have been looking around and i want to know what you think i should get. do you think ati or nvidia are better thanks
Well you'll get some people saying ATI, some nvidia, often it's a matter of personal experience and preference. I try to take an objective view, and in reality I think ATI are better. They've far more experience in the industry, and while they may not always be faster than nVidia cards, Radeons provide a significantly better picture quality than their geforce equivalent. I refer you to this picture which I posted in another thread. I don't claim it to be the be all and end all statement of the fact, and I'm sure some Geforce fanboys will try and tell me that it's an irrelevant test for this that and the other, but the image really does speak for itself. May I also point out that while these cards are obviously different (that's the point of the test), they are the exact rivals in the industry, one card does not have an unfair advantage being a higher end card than the other. As for RAM, a 1GB stick is the way to go, you'll have enough memory to play a fair few games well (with the exception of FEAR however). Put it this way, I'm running an X800pro GPU which is the equivalent of a modern day X800GTO. They're $147 at newegg. With this GPU and 1GB of RAM (note I'm not using an outstanding CPU) I can run UT2004 at max settings, 1920x1200. Yet with FEAR I can't run the game properly at any setting, not even 640x480 minimum. This is all due to RAM. Not that I'm forcing money out of you, but top titles are going to see need for more than 1GB eventually, but by buying one single stick of 1GB it allows you to easily and inexpensively upgrade when you need more. For the money it's a wise choice.
ok thanks i have seen two gpu i like: a ati 9600 256mb or a ati 9800 128mb what do you link i should go for i cant efford a 9800 with 256mb so this is what i can efford. also if i get a gig then how limited would i be to games. i play games like halo and i am wishing to play san andreas, and may be halo 2 when it comes out on pc so tell me my situation. thanks.
Halo and San An should be OK with 1GB, but for Halo 2 you'll need at least 2GB, more likely 4GB, if you have a 64-bit processor at all. The 9800 128MB is better than the 9600 256MB but they're old school cards, how much is your budget? You may be better off looking at something newer. Halo 2 is looking to be a Vista only game, so that's at least $150, plus you'll need a GPU at least of the caliber of that 9800, maybe more, and then you'll need a bare minimum of 2GB of RAM, and a 64-bit CPU. Suddenly the game seems a bit more than $50! I'm not certain the game will require a 64-bit CPU, but I know it will require vista, and the only logical reason I can think of for that is running a 64-bit kernel, which will of course need the 64-bit processor. Why so much RAM? If the game does only run in 64-bit mode, then that'll need more memory. 64-bit processing requires exactly twice the amount of RAM for the same programs as a 32-bit CPU. Why twice as much even in programs that don't use 32-bit? Imagine every binary word that the processor has to deal with. Let's pick a random one - 11000010010010101110011101100111 This is what would pass through the CPU in one clock cycle normally. However, 64-bit CPUs must use 64-bit words, so if that's a 32-bit application that doesn't support it, rather than adding the next word it would use in front of it processing two words at once (running twice as fast) It will just add a load of noughts, in effect, making 0000000000000000000000000000000011000010010010101110011101100111 Clearly this double-length word uses double the memory to store it. So if Halo 2 used up 900MB of RAM on your system, in 32-bit you might get away with 1GB, but in 64-bit that's 1800MB, and hence 2GB is a necessity. I hope that hasn't gone all over your head!
ok so halo 2 is out of the question i am going to get a pair of 1 gig ram and i will get the 9800 ati because that is what i can efford. thanks.
A pair 1GB? So 2x512 to make 1GB or 2x1GB to make 2? I assume the former because if you can afford two 1GB ram sticks you can go above a 9800 GPU.
i am getting 2x1gig so what do you sugest for my gpu? i want ati, what is the best gpu i dont want to spend loads as i am only 16 last month and do not have the money i have a part time job but thats in the holls so every 6-7 weeks. thanks
i have found this is this gpu ok SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON X1600PRO 256mb for £130 witch is about 225.8815$ so do you think this is ok?? please tell me what gpu you think i should buy. i am open for sugestions thanks.
I'm UK so I don't need the dollar conversion, but hey. The 1600 pro should be less than that. The best ATI GPUs (and IMO and seemingly yours as well best GPUs full stop) are: X800GTO X800XL X850XT Basically, pick the fastest you can afford (that list goes from slowest to fastest, but the X800GTO is still very rapid, more so than the X1600Pro) Look in: http://www.ebuyer.com http://www.savastore.com http://www.overclockers.co.uk http://www.dabs.com http://www.misco.com http://www.aria.co.uk These sites are the ones to find the best deals on.
thanks iam going to get the X800GTO from dabs what one is better? there are three results when i search? another thing is why do they all use pci express i haveit i think my mobo box says "pci express 16x" is that ok? thanks
i am an ebayer person,please dont judge but please look at this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-Sapphire-...867058101QQcategoryZ90710QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The X800GTO was only ever released on the PCI express platform, since it's a new generation card, and generally newer cards only go on PCI express since it's a newer bus. As for that specific card, it's good if it does what it says on the listing. £90 is cheap for a card of that calibre, but I don't believe the seller's 100% feedback rating. People who blab about it are usually faking it. Not always, but often. By all means though, buy that it's a very fast GPU, especially for that price.
ok thanks i will take that into consideration. if i dont get it from ebay then witch of the dabs gpus do you recomend thanks
Which of any of them??? Well I have you that list of three, pick the best you can afford. If you can go higher then go for the X1800XL but that may start to get a tad pricey.
ok thanks i m going to get the X800GTO and 2x1gig i am going to work in easter and i will sell my old ram and gpu and get the money. thanks again.
Go for it, you'll see the difference. TO put it into perspective, I run an X800Pro which basically goes like an X800GTO. I can play 16-player Deathmatches on Unreal Tournament 2004 with the big maps without slowdown at 1920x1200 with FULL detail. The only reason I can't play 32-player matches is because I'm restricted to 1GB of RAM.
