512 MB RAM Longevity

[udneekgnim]

Here is what I currently game with

16x10, 7950 GT 256 MB, 4400+ X2, 2GB RAM, Windows XP

I mostly play WoW and TF2 at 16x10

I'm considering purchasing an ATI 4870, but I don't know if I should wait for the 1GB version or just get the 512MB version.

If I were to get a 4870 of any RAM size, I would very likely start considering purchasing games like Crysis or Mass Effect.

So the question is at a 16x10 resolution, would I see any real benefit between a 1GB and 512 4870 for current games? I'm guessing this question might be difficult to answer since a 1GB 4870 isn't out yet to bench.

 

[TC91]

I will have to say it depends on how long you plan to keep the card. If you will upgrade it within a year, then grab a 512mb version and save some money. While I would like to say that 1gb will last longer, in benches you see the 512mb 4870 going step for step with an 896mb gtx 260 and sometimes the 1gb gtx 280 at resolutions like 1920x1200. I will say the difference shouldnt be huge with the 4870 512mb vs 1gb, especially at lower resolutions such as 1680x1050. Crysis... even the 1gb gtx 280 has a little trouble with the game, so I think that a 1gb version of the 4870 is not going to help too much.

 

[Sylvanas]

The ram size doesn't matter much with these new ATI cards, they use memory much more efficiently than their Nvidia counterparts. No point waiting around, at 16x10 res +4870 things will fly.

 

[DaveSimmons]

At 16x10 waiting or paying more won't make sense. The extra RAM would help if you wanted to run higher than 1900x1200 with high AA/AF.

 

[Munky]

With Ati cards, usually the performance drop isn't so big when they run out of available video mem. On average, it might be 10% slower compared to a card with 2x the mem.

 

[LightningRider]

Good thing, since I bought the 512MB HD4870.

 

[fastman]

I just came from a 7950 GX2 (with 1gig) to a HD4850 (only 512) and am very happy.