Author Topic: 256mb or 128mb on Video Card? (Read 384 times)

Thorns · « **on:** February 20, 2004, 09:18:07 PM »

Someone please tell me if AH2 needs a 256mb video card. I see a
SAPPHIRE ATI RADEON 9800PRO Video Card, 128MB DDR, 256-bit, DVI/TV-Out, 8X AGP -BULK at Newegg.com for $214.00. Isn't this a great offer? Why the need for 256mb?

Thanks,
Thorns

BUG_EAF322 · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2004, 01:27:54 PM »

i wouldn't know either
128 is more than enough i think
256 is more a commercial than an efficient thing also
and 64 still do with new games

Pfunk · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2004, 04:00:59 PM »

until HTC gets off their butts and figures out why the hell AH2 just plain sucks with ATI cards, and a 3 yr old Ti4200 outperforms a 9500pro I wouldnt go with an ATI for AH2

Orig · « **Reply #3 on:** February 21, 2004, 04:42:51 PM »

My GF4-4200 128 meg card shows almost 100 meg in use in current beta 15. I didn't get 128 meg card almost a year ago for current games, I got it so I wouldn't have to upgrade too soon for next year's games. From looks of AH2 vid memory usage, it may have been a good decision. 256 meg memory won't seem too much in a year.

Regarding ATI vs. Nvidia, if you want to run the AH2 beta right now then a GF4-4200, 4400, or 4600 would be a nice inexpensive card for you. Get 128 meg memory if you can. Framerates are nice and playable with most options maxed out and 1024x768. Save your pennies until AH2 is more finished and you see how various cards work with it, how FSAA looks with it, etc.

ChasR · « **Reply #4 on:** February 21, 2004, 05:35:47 PM »

In my experience with AH2, to run out of memory on a 128MB card, you have to set resoultion to 1600 x 1200, AA to x6, AF to x16. But there is no compelling reason to bother with AF at that resolution, it's almost impossible to see any effect. So 128MB is enough to comfortably run AH2.
My A-I-W 9800 Pro runs AH2 well enough, monitor refresh rate (85Hz) most of the time in flight , at 1280 x 1024, AA x6, AF off, other settings to max quality. Low FPS is around 70. It runs AH1 @ monitor refresh rate 100% of the time and with v-sync off is in the 200+ range. Results are CPU dependent. The same card on an AMD Athlon 2000+ system may be as much as 30 FPS slower.
On the other hand, my Athlon 2500+ (running @ 200 x 10.5) with a 9600 pro (oc'd) turns out around 60 FPS.