Whats the difference

[Tigger]

Just about to order a Novatech GeForce 8600GT SLI 256MB GDDR3 Dual DVI/TVO PCI-E

My question is this, for an extra 20 beer chits I can have the 512mb version. I'm gonna be playing Armed Assault and Flt Sim X for the most part, what I want to know is, is it worth my while getting the extra memory when its only going to be used on a 19 widescreen moniter ?

Cheers

Tiggs

 

[Rich_P]

Get the 512mb one if you're going to play ArmA. It's even recommended to get an even greater capacity graphics card if at all possible for the system eating game called ArmA.

Unfortunately with my outdated system, I have to run ArmA at 800x600 with practically all the settings off or on very low. DT_Xtremez_42:

In short, if you have a PC that ran OFP at full graphical settings, then you will have to have ArmA at minimum settings. It's that kind of leap, and it's more down to just the data that the computer has to process I think rather than just the pure graphical improvements.

 

[Tigger]

I'm running a 3.06 pentium 4 with a gig of RAM. Just put another motherboard in so I've gone from AGP to PCI-E, hopefully that will speed things up a bit to.

 

[Rich_P]

PCI-E? I thought AGP is faster than PCI-E?

This technobabble really does loose me these days, it's changed so much since I was into it years back... and I'm the one with the ICT Qualifications. DT_Xtremez_09:

 

[Tigger]

I got told for information transfer AGP was an A road and PCI-E was a 4 lane motorway.

 

[Scaley brat]

I got told for information transfer AGP was an A road and PCI-E was a 4 lane motorway.

PCI Express is the new standard with the old 3DFX ability to SLI two cards together to split the processing. See how expensive it is to get 2 cards instead of doubling the memory on one tigger.

 

[Rich_P]

So they're going double with graphic cards now like they did with SDRam to DDR and Duel Core Processors etc?

 

[Scaley brat]

So they're going double with graphic cards now like they did with SDRam to DDR and Duel Core Processors etc?

Did you never try 2 X 3DFX Voodoo 2 cards mate, 2 X 8mb were better than a 16mb Voodoo 3 DT_Xtremez_28:

 

[Rich_P]

I've always just operated with one Graphics card. Voodoo 2 and 3, blimey that's going back quite a while. :raf:

 

[Tigger]

PCI Express is the new standard with the old 3DFX ability to SLI two cards together to split the processing. See how expensive it is to get 2 cards instead of doubling the memory on one tigger.

I have considered it mate. Wonder how 2 x512mb cards would run ?

 

[Scaley brat]

I have considered it mate. Wonder how 2 x512mb cards would run ?

Got me, but the temptation has my mouth watering. Just think of the graphics, the eye candy..... all the bells and whistles switched on, time for a lie down I think !! DT_Xtremez_31:

 

[Rich_P]

So what's involved with running two graphics cards in parallel with each other?

 

[pie sandwich]

For a few extra quid you might as well, you will be sat there in a few months thinking I wonder if I had only got the better one, just dont tell your lass that you are spending extraDT_Xtremez_31:

 

[Tigger]

just dont tell your lass that you are spending extra

Bugger...........

 

[Cake or Death]

I have considered it mate. Wonder how 2 x512mb cards would run ?

Fast and ferkin hot. I'd consider getting some more cooling if you were to run that.