Graphics card dilemna

[sharkcellar]

On the suggestion of a few brilliant members here I've decided to get a Sparkle 9500GT card to replace my dying one. Here's my problem. When I bought the computer I'm currently using it had XP Pro on it. I've since had to reinstall the OS, but I only have a legit version of XP Home. So, right now I've got a computer with 3GB of RAM in it, but Home will only see 2 of it. I know there's a hack to the boot.ini file in Pro to get it to see more but under Home I'm SOL. It was suggested on this site that I get the SPARKLE SFPX95GT512U2-HP to replace my card. I would like to get the SX95GT1024D3-HP. Now, am I going to run into RAM allocation problems since I've only got 2GB of RAM recognizable by XP Home and this card has 1GB of additional RAM on it? I hope this makes sense.

Here's Sparkle's site:
http://www.sparkle.com.tw/product.asp?id=82

 

[Elfear]

Sorry to dodge your actual question, but is there a reason you want the 1GB model over the the one with 512MB?

The reason I ask is that the 9500GT is actually a fairly weak card and will run out of processing power before it runs out of video memory. Unless there is something specific you need the extra vram for I'd just get the 512MB model.

 

[toyota]

you should still have over 2gbs available though shouldnt you? also why would you buy a 9500gt 1gb? that card is too slow to even fully utilize 256mb most of the time and would never get close to 512mb much less go over it at the settings its capable of running. if you bought a 1gb ddr2 card then it would actually be slower then the 512mb gddr3 9500gt model.

EDIT: Elfear beat me to it. damn I type slow

 

[sharkcellar]

...ummm bigger is better? No?

 

[toyota]

Originally posted by: sharkcellar
...ummm bigger is better? No?

yeah you should have really gone with the 2gb model. lol. they put a large amount of slow ram on low end cards to make noobs think they are getting a better card. its pure marketing bs. a card of that level has no business with more than 512mb. plus 512mb of faster gdr3 ram would be much better than 1gb of ddr2 piss slow ram anyway.

 

[sharkcellar]

LOL. Guilty as charged. I'm a noob. Graphics cards specs are frustrating as all get out to decipher. That's why I love this forum. Cut through the crap.

As you can see in my specs, I do have a "piss slow" rig at the moment (until I build my new one). So the better advice would be to go with the SF-PX95GT512D3-HP or the SX95GT512D3-DP? I don't even get what the difference between the two are.

Thanks for the help!

 

[toyota]

really with your comp even the 512mb ddr2 would be okay but if the 512gb ddr3 model is only a few bucks more then certainly get it.

 

[sharkcellar]

Waitaminit. I stated initially that I was thinking about getting the SX95GT1024D3-HP. That card has 1GB of DDR3 on it. Is that still a bad choice?

 

[toyota]

Originally posted by: sharkcellar
Waitaminit. I stated initially that I was thinking about getting the SX95GT1024D3-HP. That card has 1GB of DDR3 on it. Is that still a bad choice?

yes because the 9500gt is too slow to really even need more than 256mb in most cases. 1gb of ram, whether ddr2 or gddr3, on a 9500gt is 100% useless for gaming. 512mb is the most that is needed on that level card. sorry if I confused you with my earlier comments but most people that get 1gb low end cards get the ddr2 models.

 

[cusideabelincoln]

9500GT isn't 100% useless for gaming. Now that is complete BS and just as bad as the 1GB marketing.

Also Windows XP Home will see more than 2GB of RAM. It can address up to 4GB of RAM just like any other 32-bit operating system. With a 512MB video card and 3GB of system memory, you should see all 3GB of system memory. With a 1GB video card you'll see a little bit less than 3GB of memory, but it will be more than 2.5GB.

If you currently have 3GB modules (combined) installed and your computer is only seeing 2GB, then something else is "wrong".

 

[toyota]

Originally posted by: cusideabelincoln
9500GT isn't 100% useless for gaming. Now that is complete BS and just as bad as the 1GB marketing.

Also Windows XP Home will see more than 2GB of RAM. It can address up to 4GB of RAM just like any other 32-bit operating system. With a 512MB video card and 3GB of system memory, you should see all 3GB of system memory. With a 1GB video card you'll see a little bit less than 3GB of memory, but it will be more than 2.5GB.

If you currently have 3GB modules (combined) installed and your computer is only seeing 2GB, then something else is "wrong".

I said 1gb of ram on the 9500gt was 100% useless for gaming.

 

[sharkcellar]

So to be totally clear, the card that I should get for optimum performance would be a 512MB DDR3 one. Correct?

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Yes. Avoid DDR2, as it bottlenecks the card.

 

[betasub]

Originally posted by: sharkcellar
...ummm bigger is better? No?

You just made the day for a lot of marketing guys

 

[Schmide]

Originally posted by: sharkcellar
So, right now I've got a computer with 3GB of RAM in it, but Home will only see 2 of it. I know there's a hack to the boot.ini file in Pro to get it to see more but under Home I'm SOL.

Now, am I going to run into RAM allocation problems since I've only got 2GB of RAM recognizable by XP Home and this card has 1GB of additional RAM on it? I hope this makes sense.

Even if windows XP sees the extra memory, it really doesn't provide any advantage. In fact it forces the kernel memory pool to reside in the upper 1gb along with the graphics and other memory mapped devices. There are even some devices that have trouble coexisting with the kernel in the upper 1gb.

XP is a lean OS there is no reason to run with the /3gb switch.

Edit Adding: You would need a system with 4gb to take advantage of the 3gb switch as the kernel needs an area of physical memory to reside in. It can't move to the upper 1gb area if there is no memory there to support it.

 

[sharkcellar]

Ah, but there is a reason to use the /3GB switch, After Effects. I'm not a big gamer, I use my rig for graphic and audio work. The /3GB switch comes in hella handy when I wanna squeeze an few extra frames of rendering via RAM preview. Otherwise, I don't know of any other use for it. Alas, you can't use the /3GB switch under XP Home anyway...or so I've heard.