Low-End 256MB Graphics Cards to Come?

Dyre Straits · Oct 4, 2003, 04:06 PM

Taiwanese sources reported that 256Mb memory chips for graphics cards fell in price recently allowing manufacturers to install 256MB of memory using 8 chips even on mainstream and entry-level graphics cards. This Fall a lot of graphics cards makers plan to offer ATI RADEON 9600-series and NVIDIA GeForce FX 5600-series based graphics cards with 256MB of memory as a lot of end-users look for more onboard memory on conventional graphics cards.

DigiTimes said that after earlier declines, the price of 256Mb graphics memory chips from Samsung Electronics had stabilized at $4.50 – $4.70 per chip. From Taiwanese DRAM makers, the same memory is quoted at $4.20 – $4.30.

Earlier this year the demand for 256Mb graphics memory chips began to decline and memory makers decided to cut down the volumes of such products. Now that the back to school season boosts the demand for hardware, the business is back on track with the production ramp of both graphics cards and DRAMs.

According to the roadmaps of various graphics cards makers, there is growing demand for graphics cards with 256MB of memory the companies want to address this Fall. Since the pricing of such DRAM devices is now quite attractive, the producers will surely satisfy the demand for this kind of devices. As a result, we will see more graphics cards with 256MB of memory in the market.

by Anton Shilov

More Info

Source: Xbit Labs

tek · Oct 4, 2003, 04:08 PM

That's horrible, at least make a 9500pro 256MB, the 9600 is crap as far as I'm concerned.

And the FX5600... dont even get me started. I'd rather buy a Ti4200...

Zardon · Oct 4, 2003, 04:10 PM

256 is the future. the forthcoming games like Doom3 etc will be using ahell of a lot of textures.

Dyre Straits · Oct 4, 2003, 04:19 PM

I can remember a couple of years ago when there were people arguing very strongly that there would never be a need for more than 64 MB of memory on a video card. (No, it wasn't Bill Gates.

)

**MIG-31** · Oct 4, 2003, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dyre Straits
I can remember a couple of years ago when there were people arguing very strongly that there would never be a need for more than 64 MB of memory on a video card. (No, it wasn't Bill Gates. )

but times are changing.taxture techniques are improving vastly which is no surorise that more memory is needed.

dipstick · Oct 4, 2003, 05:03 PM

Pretty useless at the moment, but I think that will change big time after 2004. Well, unless all big games get moved back again

Zardon · Oct 4, 2003, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dyre Straits
I can remember a couple of years ago when there were people arguing very strongly that there would never be a need for more than 64 MB of memory on a video card. (No, it wasn't Bill Gates. )

hell I remember my first matrox millenium I think it had 2 or 4 ! those were the days !

RIV@NVX · Oct 4, 2003, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zardon
hell I remember my first matrox millenium I think it had 2 or 4 ! those were the days !

I had Cirrus Logic 1MB graphic card and also SiS Daytona 2MB!
Not to mention Voodoo2 with tons of memory chips on itself (IIRC it was 1MB or 512KB each)...

**MIG-31** · Oct 4, 2003, 05:30 PM

my first pc were a 486 with i think it were a 4mb cirrus not sure on that!.which were a dated rig for when i had it only bought for £80.

next were a p3 450 with onboard voodoo 3 with 8m.and i thought that were impresive at the time.

if anyone at the time said you'll need a 32/64/128/256 cards were to come onto the market i'd be laughed at.

rogeld · Oct 4, 2003, 06:49 PM

Back in my day, we had 286's at 4.77Mhz and with 128kbytes of video memory and we liked it!

MSX · Oct 4, 2003, 08:23 PM

Yeah... though I think by this point graphics texture artists are annoyed at how large they have to make them already.

**MIG-31** · Oct 4, 2003, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MSX
Yeah... though I think by this point graphics texture artists are annoyed at how large they have to make them already.

but we also want value for money.hl2 decent graphics for £30.would you think the same if the graphics were the same as atari 2600 or spectrum zx48k standard!!!!.

so for those to get annoyed at the size do have to make them look & play better as time goes by.

just a quote as we want something in return.

MSX · Oct 4, 2003, 11:11 PM

Was kind of a joke Johnny. Though in another way its not as I used to make mod textures and I thought UT textures were huge...

~~craig588~~ · Oct 4, 2003, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rogeld
Back in my day, we had 286's at 4.77Mhz and with 128kbytes of video memory and we liked it!

Hehe, I had one of those, but mine had an unfathomable 512K of Vram because I bought the extra little chips you could plug into the card.

Dyre Straits · Oct 5, 2003, 02:55 AM

My first PC also had a Cirrus Logic 1 MB onboard graphics controller. I even have a 486 behind me here with a Cirrus Logic chip in it now. I disabled that and put one of my earliest PCI Video Card purchases in it. That's Diamond Stealth 3D Pro 4 MB PCI card. Still works really good for that system.

Oct 4, 2003, 04:06 PM	#1
Dyre Straits HH Old Fuddy Duddy Join Date: May 2002 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 14,032 Rep Power: 201 System Specs	Low-End 256MB Graphics Cards to Come? Taiwanese sources reported that 256Mb memory chips for graphics cards fell in price recently allowing manufacturers to install 256MB of memory using 8 chips even on mainstream and entry-level graphics cards. This Fall a lot of graphics cards makers plan to offer ATI RADEON 9600-series and NVIDIA GeForce FX 5600-series based graphics cards with 256MB of memory as a lot of end-users look for more onboard memory on conventional graphics cards. DigiTimes said that after earlier declines, the price of 256Mb graphics memory chips from Samsung Electronics had stabilized at $4.50 – $4.70 per chip. From Taiwanese DRAM makers, the same memory is quoted at $4.20 – $4.30. Earlier this year the demand for 256Mb graphics memory chips began to decline and memory makers decided to cut down the volumes of such products. Now that the back to school season boosts the demand for hardware, the business is back on track with the production ramp of both graphics cards and DRAMs. According to the roadmaps of various graphics cards makers, there is growing demand for graphics cards with 256MB of memory the companies want to address this Fall. Since the pricing of such DRAM devices is now quite attractive, the producers will surely satisfy the demand for this kind of devices. As a result, we will see more graphics cards with 256MB of memory in the market. by Anton Shilov More Info Source: Xbit Labs

Oct 4, 2003, 04:08 PM	#2
tek DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Boston, US Posts: 2,103 Rep Power: 0	That's horrible, at least make a 9500pro 256MB, the 9600 is crap as far as I'm concerned. And the FX5600... dont even get me started. I'd rather buy a Ti4200... __________________ [COLOR=White][/COLOR]

Oct 4, 2003, 05:30 PM	#9
MIG-31 HardwareHeaven News Mod Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Nottingham,UK Posts: 55,770 Rep Power: 444 System Specs	my first pc were a 486 with i think it were a 4mb cirrus not sure on that!.which were a dated rig for when i had it only bought for £80. next were a p3 450 with onboard voodoo 3 with 8m.and i thought that were impresive at the time. if anyone at the time said you'll need a 32/64/128/256 cards were to come onto the market i'd be laughed at. __________________ Please Post Your News Submissions Here

Oct 4, 2003, 04:10 PM	#3
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 177	256 is the future. the forthcoming games like Doom3 etc will be using ahell of a lot of textures.

Oct 4, 2003, 05:03 PM	#6
dipstick HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: USA Posts: 3,609 Rep Power: 70 System Specs	Pretty useless at the moment, but I think that will change big time after 2004. Well, unless all big games get moved back again

Oct 4, 2003, 06:49 PM	#10
rogeld DriverHeaven Addict Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 259 Rep Power: 0	Back in my day, we had 286's at 4.77Mhz and with 128kbytes of video memory and we liked it!

Oct 4, 2003, 08:23 PM	#11
MSX Burning the frozen... Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,201 Rep Power: 0	Yeah... though I think by this point graphics texture artists are annoyed at how large they have to make them already.

Oct 4, 2003, 11:11 PM	#13
MSX Burning the frozen... Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 1,201 Rep Power: 0	Was kind of a joke Johnny. Though in another way its not as I used to make mod textures and I thought UT textures were huge...