ATI 8500LE 128MB vs Apollo 8500LE 128MB - who's the best?

[Agrippa]

Does anyone know if these is a difference between these cards - RAM speed, CPU and RAM clock speeds, etc? Read the ATI 8500 vs Apollo 8500LE review on HOCP and it says that the Apollo card employs 4ns RAM, but can't find any specs for ATI's own LE 128MB. Any help would much appreciated, as I intend to get hold of a card on eBay asap.

Agrippa

 

[Mingon]

I would bet that the ati will be better, the other manufacturer 8500's have used lower core / memory speeds. I would guess on 3.8ns for the ati.

 

[MoMeanMugs]

Don't bother getting tthe 128MB version. It is a waste of money.

 

[Agrippa]

ehhh....why....?

 

[Mingon]

the 128mb is useful for high res anti-aliasing and large textures, if the cost vs the 64mb version is not much then go for it.

 

[Blurry]

First of all the ATI Radeon 8500LE uses 3.6ns memory meaning it can be flashed to the RETAIL verrrry easily. Second of all, the extra 64mb video memory won't help the card at all because the Radeon can't take any advantage of the extra 64MB.

 

[Agrippa]

If it can't take advantage of it - why make it? It does appear to perform better than the 64MB version in the tests I've found...

 

[AA0]

of all the reviews I've seen, there has been one which showed that the 128 card performed better, and that was one test, and only by a few %. It was 1600x1200 res, with AA on. Not used by many people.

128 meg cards are a marketing thing, they make more money on you, and you believe its better. It worked, didn't it?

 

[Agrippa]

I get what you're on about, but I'd like to know why it is the card can't take advantage of the extra ram? Are you saying, as it appears, that there is a limitation in the design itself which prohibits the use of more than 64MB? If so, that's the first I've heard of it and I'm sure a technical explanation would be appreciated by many! Or are you simply saying that no s/w currently on the market needs 128MB?

 

[Rand]

<< First of all the ATI Radeon 8500LE uses 3.6ns memory meaning it can be flashed to the RETAIL verrrry easily. >>



ATi's Radeon8500LE uses 3.6 or 3.8ns DDR SDRAM, and while it can be easily flashed to the Retail version your not guaranteed it will hit the clockspeeds of the Retail board though you do have a good chance as the flash increases the voltage delivered to the DRAM slightly.

As said the Apollo card uses 4.0ns DDR SDRAM, so ATi's own board has slightly better potential overclockability.
Both the Apollo, and ATi's own LE model are clocked at 250/250 by default, so there are no differences in that respect.
Also, ATi manufactures Apollo's Radeon board, it's merely re-sold to Apollo and labeled with their brand name, so visual quality, and quality of manufacture will be identical between the two.



<< Are you saying, as it appears, that there is a limitation in the design itself which prohibits the use of more than 64MB? >>



The R200 core used on the Radeon 8500LE can utilize up to 256MB of DRAM, there are no limitations inherent to the actual core or board design itself that limit it to 64MB. It's more of a case of software not truly needing 128MB, or even 64MB of DRAM very often.
If your running at 1280x1024 or higher with FSAA enabled, then I'd probably go with the 128MB version as long as the cost differential isnt too great.
Future games may take a bit better advantage 128MB, but even so I wouldnt spend the money on it unless the cost differential is reasonably small.

Of course if your doing any reasonable 3D design, CAD, or 3D animation work I would definitely consider the extra DRAM to be worthwhile for many situations.... but then very few home users engage in such activities so that's likely a mute point in this case.

If the price differential isnt much I'd go with ATi's own 8500LE because it's easily flashed to the Retail board, and comes with slightly better DRAM so it may be a bit better overclocker.
If the price difference is fairly significant though then the Apollo board is still a fine choice as it is in most respects identical to ATi's own board.

 

[Agrippa]

Thanks for a sensible reply Rand! As it happens, I have just picked up an ATI 8500LE for $175, which may not be the best price around (?), but certainly beats what it will retail for over here in Norway whenever it arrives. Although I don't, as you quite rightly surmise, do anything which particularly demands those 128MB, I thought the 8500LE would reasonably future-proof me for a reasonable amount of money. Not that my Radeon 64MB hasn't got some life in it yet, but I like to upgrade while I can still get more than some small change for the old stuff. The R64 should fetch maybe $100 second-hand over here, so I'll end up paying 75 for the LE, which can't be that bad.

Agrippa