256MB GDDR2 or 512MB GDDR2?

[wyz135]

There's something really strange, when I check the ATi Catalyst control centre, they claim that my card is 512MB GDDR2, when I check at ATi Tool, they claim that my card is 256MB GDDR2, so which one should I believe?

[jordibax]

There's something really strange, when I check the ATi Catalyst control centre, they claim that my card is 512MB GDDR2, when I check at ATi Tool, they claim that my card is 256MB GDDR2, so which one should I believe?

Maybe you have shared memory card (ati calls it hyper memory i think). They are very common in mid-low range cards (x550 to x1600). I think that one app. tells you on board memory and the other the total available memory (on board and system-shared).

[Radiator]

I haven't seen a single midend ( X1600 / HD 2600 ) card with Hypermemory .
The low-end cards sometimes have it . 7300/X1300's and 6200/X300's . Not sure bout the 8500's and 2400's though .

[jordibax]

I haven't seen a single midend ( X1600 / HD 2600 ) card with Hypermemory .
The low-end cards sometimes have it . 7300/X1300's and 6200/X300's . Not sure bout the 8500's and 2400's though .
You´re right, usually hypermemory cards are below 1600 models, but there are some of them that still have this feature : GECUBE Radeon X1600 PRO 256MB PCI-E DDR2 up TO 512 HYPERMEMORY. We have to stay alert with this kind of cards.

[wyz135]

nvidia don't have hyper memory, but I think nvidia also have the technology, TurboCache, as they called it

[Radiator]

512MB on a midend card is pretty useless... even on a HD 2600 XT or a 8600 GTS .