128 MB video memory enough?
by Martin Schultz · in Hardware Issues · 10/02/2007 (1:11 am) · 8 replies
I'm thinking about to buy a new notebook (Macbook Pro) and I stumbled over the video memory. What do you guys think - is 128 MB video memory for the NVidia 8600 GT enough or the 256 MB version? It's a 500 US$/Euro difference. Is that really worth the money?
I'm planning to work with the notebook the next 3 years and I'm mainly doing TGE stuff, a small bit of TGEA. I'm playing the hot and actual games not very often, honestly very seldom if I think about it. I'm mainly into developing stuff with Torque. So, I thought I ask around about other opinions about this topic.
Thanks,
Martin :)
I'm planning to work with the notebook the next 3 years and I'm mainly doing TGE stuff, a small bit of TGEA. I'm playing the hot and actual games not very often, honestly very seldom if I think about it. I'm mainly into developing stuff with Torque. So, I thought I ask around about other opinions about this topic.
Thanks,
Martin :)
#2
10/02/2007 (1:34 am)
OOps, navigating backward reposted the message...
#3
It all depends if you have another better machine or not.
If you can wait until the end of the year/next year, there are rumors Open GL TGEA would be released by that time. ;-)
10/02/2007 (1:36 am)
Martin, if you are expecting to keep your machine for the next 3 years, 256 Mb seems to be the minimum though.It all depends if you have another better machine or not.
If you can wait until the end of the year/next year, there are rumors Open GL TGEA would be released by that time. ;-)
#4
10/02/2007 (1:37 am)
Right, the MB Pro comes with 2 GB of memory by default. I updated my Mac Mini already to 2 GB and that was a very right decision. OS-X needs muuucho memory. :-)
#5
10/02/2007 (1:38 am)
Ah, good point Stephan. Didn't think of a possible TGEA OpenGL version, right. That may require more video memory. Good point.
#6
Os X handles pretty well RAM, I haven't noticed such acceleration with XP (on the same machine, as it is ran through BootCamp).
10/02/2007 (2:58 am)
Quote:Right, the MB Pro comes with 2 GB of memory by default. I updated my Mac Mini already to 2 GB and that was a very right decision. OS-X needs muuucho memory. :-)Well, my Intel iMac was running fine with only 512 mb of RAM, but it now runs 4 times faster with 1.5 Gb.
Os X handles pretty well RAM, I haven't noticed such acceleration with XP (on the same machine, as it is ran through BootCamp).
Quote:Ah, good point Stephan. Didn't think of a possible TGEA OpenGL version, right. That may require more video memory. Good point.Huh, well, I claim to be an Os X professional... I'm trying to be updated on products. ;-)
#7
Until I get a new laptop, I'm currently using the Torque tools with an old Intel integrated video chip with maybe 64 MB shared. TGE runs fine in most cases. Though the demo which comes with TGE has some framerate issues.
Some potential reason for the large price difference is in the type of RAM. Some models of the 8600 use DDR2 and others use DDR3. There is a significant difference between the two as benchmarks will show. Perhaps in the case of the Mac you are looking at, the 128 MB uses DDR2 and the 256 has DDR3. On Dell's site, the difference between the 128 and 256 is $100, but Dell only uses DDR2. I'm sure the price difference would be significantly larger if they used DDR3.
10/02/2007 (9:28 am)
The 8600GT sounds like a terrific card. I'm looking at getting the 256 MB one for a laptop. 128 MB will be fine now but you may find limitations with it in three years depending on your use. If you are not playing the latest and greatest games, then you may be just fine. Until my desktop recently bonked out on me, I had a nearly five year old NVidia Ti4200 with 64 MB. Things ran fine for my needs, but I don't play the latest games either.Until I get a new laptop, I'm currently using the Torque tools with an old Intel integrated video chip with maybe 64 MB shared. TGE runs fine in most cases. Though the demo which comes with TGE has some framerate issues.
Some potential reason for the large price difference is in the type of RAM. Some models of the 8600 use DDR2 and others use DDR3. There is a significant difference between the two as benchmarks will show. Perhaps in the case of the Mac you are looking at, the 128 MB uses DDR2 and the 256 has DDR3. On Dell's site, the difference between the 128 and 256 is $100, but Dell only uses DDR2. I'm sure the price difference would be significantly larger if they used DDR3.
#8
The 500 price difference is not only the video card I forgot to say. It's also a slightly faster CPU and 40 gigs more of disk space, but that's not sooo important to me compared to the video ram.
Btw: I'm using Torque on my Mac Mini too and it runs ok with only the shared memory card. Sometimes frame rate issues, but for testing it's super. But in general I want to move my main development platform from Windows to the Mac. Since I have OS-X from the Mini I'm sold - really outstanding OS. :-)
10/02/2007 (12:09 pm)
Yeah, the 8600 is really a monster. 2 co-workers bought the Macbook Pro with that card and it has a really outstanding performance. The 500 price difference is not only the video card I forgot to say. It's also a slightly faster CPU and 40 gigs more of disk space, but that's not sooo important to me compared to the video ram.
Btw: I'm using Torque on my Mac Mini too and it runs ok with only the shared memory card. Sometimes frame rate issues, but for testing it's super. But in general I want to move my main development platform from Windows to the Mac. Since I have OS-X from the Mini I'm sold - really outstanding OS. :-)
Torque Owner Stephan - viKKing - Bondier
Lot of RAM though. Os X needs it and use it very well. 2 Giga would be best.