Do all 128-bit cards stink?

I'm shopping for a new card (making the big switch from ATI to Nvidia, ATI's drivers have given me endless grief) And I saw a 1 GB Nvidia card at a great price, but it's only 128-bit interface. The 256-bit of course would give better performance, but the price is signifigantly higher. So my question is could a card even with 1 gb of memory but only 128-bit be outmatched by say a 512 mb card with a 256-bit interface?

they dont suck at all my hd 3870's are 128-bit and they match well against a9800gtx+ which is a respectable result. a single one will still do most games on high though its time is running short. so i say no they arent bad but aging certainly 256-bit cards are just much more efficient at graphical producing and as a result can do more complex tasks faster. its the age old situation: small, faster, and more reliable nothing wrong witgh them its just.. not as good as it could be.

I'm shopping for a new card (making the big switch from ATI to Nvidia, ATI's drivers have given me endless grief) And I saw a 1 GB Nvidia card at a great price, but it's only 128-bit interface. The 256-bit of course would give better performance, but the price is signifigantly higher. So my question is could a card even with 1 gb of memory but only 128-bit be outmatched by say a 512 mb card with a 256-bit interface?

Vuud

I'm shopping for a new card (making the big switch from ATI to Nvidia, ATI's drivers have given me endless grief) And I saw a 1 GB Nvidia card at a great price, but it's only 128-bit interface. The 256-bit of course would give better performance, but the price is signifigantly higher. So my question is could a card even with 1 gb of memory but only 128-bit be outmatched by say a 512 mb card with a 256-bit interface?

Vuud

It depends on the card, but usually 256-bit cards are going to be high-end cards while 128-bit are the budget to mid-range cards. So when comparing two cards of the same generation, the 256-bit will likely trump the 128-bit.

But all this is secondary to the graphics chip itself anyway. The chip is what really matters.

they dont suck at all my hd 3870's are 128-bit and they match well against a9800gtx+ which is a respectable result. a single one will still do most games on high though its time is running short. so i say no they arent bad but aging certainly 256-bit cards are just much more efficient at graphical producing and as a result can do more complex tasks faster. its the age old situation: small, faster, and more reliable nothing wrong witgh them its just.. not as good as it could be.

aura_enchanted

My 4670 1Gb isnt that bad. Plays Crysis well.

it depends on other things as well like shader count, clock speed, memory speed. if the cards are the same in all those aspects or similar (provided brands are the same) then the 256mb version will perform better. however dont rule out 128bit cards like the hd4600 series and the hd4770. which offer performance that rivals or overcomes their 256bit counterparts

My 4670 1Gb isnt that bad. Plays Crysis well.

clyde46

Since I have a thread open I might as well try and get help with my current problem. My HD 4350 just crapped out. I don't know what happened, but suddenly it started freezing my pc. First I couldn't click on anything, then the mouse pointer would freeze up, and I'd have to reboot. Sometimes it would tell me that ati2dvag.dll stopped working properly. Then I notice that I could not open CCC any more, it said that it did not support the current device or something like that. So I uninstall everything, run driver cleaner pro, and reinstall from the disk that came with the card, but it still won't work! I still can't access CCC and after a few minutes the PC freezes up. None of my restore points will work either. Once I got a BSOD telling me that the problem was from ati2dvag.dll BUT I'm not sure if it's that file itself or something hardware related.

Tell my what you think about this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814141093

It looks good but I've gotten cards that look good but turn out to be real clunkers.

edit -- forget that, what about THIS http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150370

Now that looks slick. I think I want this one.

I'm 90% settled on this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130501

It turns out my 4350 is only 64-bit so a 128-bit will be quite an improvement, plus double the memory. It aslso didn't have a fan, just a heat sink. And this was a very hot summer on a cheap card so I think the head got to it so it's out of commission.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121324

much much better for not much more.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121320

cheaper and better

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102838

again cheaper but better.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121329

again way better

I'm 90% settled on this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130501

It turns out my 4350 is only 64-bit so a 128-bit will be quite an improvement, plus double the memory. It aslso didn't have a fan, just a heat sink. And this was a very hot summer on a cheap card so I think the head got to it so it's out of commission.

Vuud

NOOOOOOOOOOO, PLEASE DO NOT GET THAT CARD!!!!!!!!! That's is a terrible card!!!! It is about equivalent to my 8600 GTS, and that sucks!!! If you play some games, then please get this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102837

It may be twice the price of what you are currently looking at, but it is worth it!!! Absolute bargain at the moment too.

[QUOTE="Vuud"]

I'm 90% settled on this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130501

It turns out my 4350 is only 64-bit so a 128-bit will be quite an improvement, plus double the memory. It aslso didn't have a fan, just a heat sink. And this was a very hot summer on a cheap card so I think the head got to it so it's out of commission.

CZ_Shadow_X58

NOOOOOOOOOOO, PLEASE DO NOT GET THAT CARD!!!!!!!!! That's is a terrible card!!!! It is about equivalent to my 8600 GTS, and that sucks!!! If you play some games, then please get this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E1681410283

It may be twice the price of what you are currently looking at, but it is worth it!!! Absolute bargain at the moment too.

i half agree the 9500gt is trash but the hd 4650 and 4670 and mere pennies more and significantly better those babies pack an awful punch and will even do crysis on most resolutions on medium (which is a huge feat all by itself)

Just curious, low-profile cards aren't any different from standard cards right? They still perform the same?

Just curious, low-profile cards aren't any different from standard cards right? They still perform the same?

Vuud

Look at that, they still do.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814187061

[QUOTE="Vuud"]

I'm 90% settled on this one http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130501

It turns out my 4350 is only 64-bit so a 128-bit will be quite an improvement, plus double the memory. It aslso didn't have a fan, just a heat sink. And this was a very hot summer on a cheap card so I think the head got to it so it's out of commission.

CZ_Shadow_X58

NOOOOOOOOOOO, PLEASE DO NOT GET THAT CARD!!!!!!!!! That's is a terrible card!!!! It is about equivalent to my 8600 GTS, and that sucks!!! If you play some games, then please get this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102837

It may be twice the price of what you are currently looking at, but it is worth it!!! Absolute bargain at the moment too.

Well you can all calm down. I made a purchase. It may not be the very best, but it got rave reviews and it's a very decent card, certainly enough for my needs. I'm not going to say what it is. But this is a replacement for my dead 4350 until I can save up enough to get a real top-of-the-line model.

Ok,

Actually just correct the 3870's and 3850's are 256 bit that is why they rock. I have an older system and that 3850 (AGP 3870) kicks $@%! As far as the 128-bit interface it is for resolution more then anything else, the card will run all effects and AF but high resolution coupled with AA will kill your frame-rate. Hardcore gamers fight the older 128-bit interface cards.

OH MY GOD!!! I just popped in the new video card and I started crying when I started up Clear Sky. I've never gotten these framerates before. :cry:

So this thread has a happy ending :D