AGP Aperture Size for ATI?

JedyKnight · Feb 15, 2004, 12:22 PM

What is the best AGP Aperture Size for ATI cards? Is it any different on nvidia? I keep mine at 128 but i like to hear out more suggestions

wolfran · Feb 15, 2004, 02:25 PM

Look at this thread. It may help you.

http://www.hardwareheaven.com/showthre...light=aperture

The_Neon_Cowboy · Feb 15, 2004, 02:36 PM

128 is uaslly the best / norm for 128mb card but it should be equil to you video cards ram thats the way i've allways understood it

DosCervezas · Feb 15, 2004, 05:12 PM

I think this link: http://www.pc-extreme.com/artikel/tuning/agp/index.html provides the best information I have ever seen on different AGP aperture sizes. The site is in German, but the charts are readable. If you look at the numbers you will see that there is not a whole lot of difference between scores. Like Neon Cowboy said, 128 is usually your best bet. However, if you really feel like finding out which works best on your system run benchmarks at 64, 128, 256, and see which setting gives you better performance. It will be different in every computer so no one except YOU can decide which AGP aperture size is best for your computer.

Judas · Feb 15, 2004, 05:22 PM

i usually run my apature at 1/4 my ram..... 128mb/32-256/64-512/128-1024/256

Huigie · Feb 15, 2004, 05:47 PM

Mr Steveo wrote on asusboards.com

Quote:

For the benefit of others reading this thread:

The drivers limiting the effective aperture to 64MB only applies if you have a total of 512MB of system RAM and attempt to set your BIOS aperture to 64 or higher. If you have 1 GB of system RAM and attempt to set your BIOS aperture to 128 or greater, the drivers will limit your effective aperture to 128MB. So essentially your BIOS is setting the max allowable aperture, then the drivers are using the forumlas above to set the effective aperture.

Of course its important to be careful in setting the aperture. Due to its interaction with the GART table, some software applications do not play friendly with large apertures and can crash, lock up, or BSOD. If you have 1GB of system RAM or more and the BIOS aperture set to 128 or higher, and youve been having such software problems; you may want to reduce the aperture to the safe bet of 64MB before you next install your video drivers.

This may seem to be new or different information to what you are used to hearing, especially if youve been around the computer world for awhile. But the above formulas are a paraphrase of information stated by rage3d forum member named Catalyst_Maker. SInce he is the ATI Software Engineer who actually writes the Catalyst drivers, I would say the above aperture information is reliable.

Dyre Straits · Feb 15, 2004, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JedyKnight
What is the best AGP Aperture Size for ATI cards? Is it any different on nvidia? I keep mine at 128 but i like to hear out more suggestions

I've found that each system responds differently to this setting. My suggestion, as always, is to experiment. Then just use the one that works best.

JedyKnight · Feb 16, 2004, 01:53 AM

Tkz for all the answers, then what i catched is that .. 128/256 aperture = higher frame rates on some games and possible stutter and 64 = to smoother gameplay on some games and a bit lower fps and lower on some benchmarks ...

And final question .. perhaps someone knows what catalyst/ati crew have any suggestions for their graphics cards?

TwistedMetal · Feb 16, 2004, 01:58 AM

I heard 64 was the best setting. That is what I use.

mainman · Feb 16, 2004, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The_Neon_Cowboy
128 is uaslly the best / norm for 128mb card but it should be equil to you video cards ram thats the way i've allways understood it

Yep, same here cowboy, i also use 128, i find it works bether with alot of cards.

PoopyTheJ · Feb 16, 2004, 02:30 AM

Mine's set at 256 now, I'm gonna try trimming it back to 128 and see if those annoying slow downs get fixed.

wolfran · Feb 16, 2004, 02:42 AM

I found 64MB gives smoother gameplay but I suggest to try 128MB as well. I've read somewhere in rage3d forum that a guy who works for ATI said that the driver will limit the aperture size to 64MB for a system with physical ram less than 1024MB. This guy also said that 64MB is the recommended aperture size by windows for a system with physical RAM less than 1024MB.

BBThumper · Feb 16, 2004, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dyre Straits
I've found that each system responds differently to this setting. My suggestion, as always, is to experiment. Then just use the one that works best.

........ditto, no 2 systems are the same so don't take someone elses suggestion. Find out for yourself....

Feb 15, 2004, 12:22 PM	#1
JedyKnight DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 15 Rep Power: 0	AGP Aperture Size for ATI? What is the best AGP Aperture Size for ATI cards? Is it any different on nvidia? I keep mine at 128 but i like to hear out more suggestions

Feb 15, 2004, 02:36 PM	#3
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	128 is uaslly the best / norm for 128mb card but it should be equil to you video cards ram thats the way i've allways understood it __________________

Feb 15, 2004, 05:12 PM	#4
DosCervezas DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 229 Rep Power: 0	I think this link: http://www.pc-extreme.com/artikel/tuning/agp/index.html provides the best information I have ever seen on different AGP aperture sizes. The site is in German, but the charts are readable. If you look at the numbers you will see that there is not a whole lot of difference between scores. Like Neon Cowboy said, 128 is usually your best bet. However, if you really feel like finding out which works best on your system run benchmarks at 64, 128, 256, and see which setting gives you better performance. It will be different in every computer so no one except YOU can decide which AGP aperture size is best for your computer. __________________ *"Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience".*

Feb 16, 2004, 01:58 AM	#9
TwistedMetal MC John-117 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 728 Rep Power: 0	I heard 64 was the best setting. That is what I use. __________________ [color=red][/color]

Feb 16, 2004, 02:30 AM	#11
PoopyTheJ DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,588 Rep Power: 66	Mine's set at 256 now, I'm gonna try trimming it back to 128 and see if those annoying slow downs get fixed. __________________ [COLOR=Blue]“Alright boys, let’s start her up and see why she doesn’t work.” - John Fritz "I aim to misbehave" Malcolm Reynolds ATI Catalyst Beta Tester[/COLOR]

Feb 15, 2004, 02:25 PM	#2
wolfran DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 414 Rep Power: 0	Look at this thread. It may help you. http://www.hardwareheaven.com/showthre...light=aperture

Feb 16, 2004, 01:53 AM	Thread Starter #8
JedyKnight DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 15 Rep Power: 0	Tkz for all the answers, then what i catched is that .. 128/256 aperture = higher frame rates on some games and possible stutter and 64 = to smoother gameplay on some games and a bit lower fps and lower on some benchmarks ... And final question .. perhaps someone knows what catalyst/ati crew have any suggestions for their graphics cards?

Feb 16, 2004, 02:42 AM	#12
wolfran DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 414 Rep Power: 0	I found 64MB gives smoother gameplay but I suggest to try 128MB as well. I've read somewhere in rage3d forum that a guy who works for ATI said that the driver will limit the aperture size to 64MB for a system with physical ram less than 1024MB. This guy also said that 64MB is the recommended aperture size by windows for a system with physical RAM less than 1024MB.