Um, what the heck is this!?!?

[Guest]

So I'm checking out the lowest prices on Gainwards and I come across this.......

"Gainward 128MB 4X AGP DDR 4.5ns GeForce3 Ti 200 TV/out"

They say it's been out for a couple weeks and is IN STOCK. However, just after I had to pick my jaw up from the floor, I noticed that it has 4.5ns ram which is slower than the 4.0ns ram the "normal" TI200 has.

In ANY case, what the hell is this? Someone is selling it and I can't find any info about it anywhere!

Ron

 

[bikeman]

I saw the same from Aopen:

<i>A-open geforce3 Ti200-TV 128MB DDR + TV</i>

in a store here in Belgium, Europe. I thought it was quite surpirsing, too. But here there is no memory speed specification. Anyway, you are not the only one that sees this kind of things. Or we must be going crazy both at the same time

Just found this: <A HREF="http://www.aopen.com/products/vga/gf3ti200-dv128.htm" target="_new">http://www.aopen.com/products/vga/gf3ti200-dv128.htm</A>

Greetz,
Bikeman

 

[Guest]

Hehe, no looks like we're not going crazy! I've now seen this available at other locations. It would be nice if someone advertised this! BTW, it's only about $15-$20 more than the 64 meg version! However, if it really is 4.5ns memory, that's going to hurt.

Ron

 

[flamethrower205]

...that's where overclockin comes in.

Only if you let me see the Umpa Lumpa- Homer Simpson.

 

[AMD_Man]

Hmm, 4.5ns is still enough to meet the 200MHz memory spec of the Ti200, but it's too slow to allow it to overclock <b><i>easily</b></i> to Ti500 speeds.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor

 

[Guest]

Ok, I've confirmed that it is in fact a 128 meg Gainward card, but have found out that it is the same 4.0ns memory that the standard 64 meg card has. I've just ordered two of them as they were in stock. Of 10 people that have received this card, 4 of them tried overclocking and achieved the same settings as listed on Tom's site. For $180, I needed no more prompting to get this card. Why the heck wouldn't they promote this card more? Possibly because it will clash with the upcoming GeForce4 cards?

Well, whatever, I'm pumped! Realistically, the only performance difference 128 megs will have over 64 will be noticable with games that have large textures, however that is what I mostly play. But it was the only reason I was even considering waiting for the new 128meg Geforce4 cards.

Ron

 

[bikeman]

Still, I think 128 meg is a little overkill. Or not? I think it requires really BIG textures to fill that memory-space. Anyway, if you can show me some comparing benchmarks between the 64MB and 128MB-model, please don't hesitate to post them ...

Bikeman

 

[Red_Zealot]

Yeah, there was some comparisons linked from HardOCP a few days ago. The extra memory made NO DIFFERENCE in scores and in fact had lower scores for some tests (slower memory). There is nothing on the market today that a gamer/home user would want that would require 128MB RAM.

"If you teach a child to read, then he or her will be able to pass a literacy test" - George W.

 

[Guest]

Ok, I looked everywhere for the review/article/link you said you saw at HardOCP, and looked back at news from the last 10 weeks, and the only thing I found about the new Gainward 128 meg card was this reference:

===================================================

This was pointed out to us by a [H]ardOCPer over in Germany. 128MB of Gainward goodness.

- - - - - - - - - - -

The Gainward GeForce3 PowerPack!!! Ti/500 "JUMBO" "Golden Sample" TMgraphics card offers today's most powerful "bang for the buck" featuring NVIDIA'sGeForce3 Ti-200 GPU, a video-out connector (composite video and S-video), plus an mpressive 128MB 4.0ns frame buffer.

Featuring Gainward's high-performance/wide-bandwidth TM hardware design specially developed to take utmost advantage of 128 MB of ultra-fast DDR display memory, the Gainward GeForce3 PowerPack!!! Ti/500 "JUMBO" "Golden Sample"TM is also potentially the highest performing GeForce3 Ti-200 graphics board ever built in mass production.

With "Enhanced Mode" enabled, the Gainward GeForce3 PowerPack!!! Ti/500"JUMBO" "Golden Sample"TM runs at a faster engine clock and a significantly higher memory clock speed, resulting in up to 25% better 3D real world performance - compared with NVIDIA's proposed reference design - when running at 1024 x 768 @32 bpp or even higher resolution. These performance improvements vs. the reference design are possible because Gainward is using a performance enhanced, proprietary hardware design(high-performance/wide-bandwidthTM hardware design), the fastest DDR memory available and a more efficient cooling device. Gainward GeForce3 PowerPack!!! Ti/500 "JUMBO" "Golden Sample"TM will be available in January 2002 at an estimated street price of less than 300 € incl. regional VAT.

=====================================================

 

[Guest]

I don't think that the 128 megs of memory are of any advantage unless you use really high resolutions or if you play games that use tramendous amount of texture maps. Interestingly, the game I play which is Everquest, uses so much texture maps that it is recommended to use 512 megs of main memory if you want to see all the textures and models. As a result, 128 megs of 4.0ns memory will be a huge benefit to store all those textures.

I'm sure the reason the new GeForce4 and Radeon cards are all coming out with 128 megs of memory is that they anticipate games that use these giant textures in the future.

However, for most existing games, I agree 128 megs of memory is of no importance. But for the extra $20, getting another 64 megs of 4.0ns memory is kind of silly not to get in my opinion. It overclocks to the exact same specs as the 64 meg version. Mind you, this is the "Golden Sample" card which is guaranteed to overclock by Gainward. Most people are overclocking the 128 meg card to 225/515 without problems. And even John at Anandtech got one and is running at that same overclock.

Ron

 

[Guest]

Interesting. Tom's evaluation of the new 128 meg cards makes it pretty clear that 128 megs of memory does nothing in current games. However it also showed that the Gainward 4ns Golden Sample cards run out of the box at TI500 speeds, and from what I've seen overclock past TI500s. I think that for $188(US), a Gainward Jumbo Golden Sample 128 is a damn good investment even with Geforce 4 cards coming out soon. You can wait for the GeForce4s to get cheaper and be assured that even bigger textures will be supported.

Ron