question about video cards, which to buy?

i've seen a lot of video cards online, each is a bit different from the other. i've noticed that some cards are ddr while others are exactly the same except it is ddr 2 or ddr 3. my question is, would it be better to purchase a video card that is 256 mb that is ddr or one that is 128 mb ddr3? what is the difference? thanks.

 

Hello and welcome to MajorGeeks.

Generally, there isn't a performance boost from 128 mb to 256 mb.

What are your system specs and what card did you have in mind?


HERE is some technical information on DDR.

 

thanks for the warm welcome and info. i just recall reading the specs of the cards as i was searching for a video card. i'll try to find the different cards i came across and get back to you on it.

 

Sorry if I didn't answer your question as you hoped.

If you have any other questions, just post back.

 

so, riddle me this-

currently, i have a 9800pro 128, but was thinking about getting the 256, for newer games that are coming out, such as fear. are you saying that there wouldnt be that much of a difference Insom, and that i shoud just stick with my 128 edition? (agp)

my other specs (if needed)

win xp sp2

dell dimension 8300
gig of 3200 ram,
pent 4, 3.2

 

I've yet to see an improvement between identical 128 mb cards and 256 mb cards, and if there is, it's certainly not anything the user can detect.

You already have a very good card, I would just leave it as it is.


Maybe when newer games can take advantage of that extra memory, but certainly not at the moment.

 

well, thanks. chekc this out though- i installed the single palyer fear demo, and it gave me this message saying my videocard didnt have enough memory to support the display setting i chose. if i got (and that is a big big if) a 256 version, or just any newer card would i still get that.


here is my dilema though. i have an older cpu. older being about a year and a half. i am thinking, that i should just wait, and buy a totally new cpu in a few months. my mobo is agp, and i am not technically advanced enough to know everything i would have to change in order to get a new one. so, if i get a new card, it would have to be agp, and alot of the newer cards arnt even coming out in an agp version. i figure agp will be out of the picute within a year or two. maybe i am wrong.

 

my comp is:
p4 3.4 ghz
1 gig ram pc4200
160 gig sata
200 gig ide

here is the example about 128 ddr 3 vs 256 ddr.

Leadtek GeForce 6600 GT / 128MB DDR3 / PCI Express / VGA / DVI / HDTV Out / Video Card
vs.
Asus GeForce 6600 / 256MB DDR / PCI Express / DVI / TV-Out / Video Card

which one is better? also is nvidia cards better better than ati cards?

 

Both nVidia and ATI make good cards. You can't really say one is better than the other.

Having said that, ATI seems to be losing it's momentum lately and hasn't released any decent new models.

As far as the Leadtek and Asus, the Leaktek is better.

The ASUS isn't a GT, just a 6600. There is a fair bit of difference between the two chips.

The Leadtek also supports HDTV and VGA, whereas the ASUS either doesn't, or isn't specified.