Half Life 2 performance with 256MB Vide Cards

Cannibal Corpse

Cannibal Corpse

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I am tempted to get a 256MB version of the ATi Radeon Card.

I have heard that HL2 has "super-high resolution" textures that once detected on a 256MB card, will be utilized instead of the normal textures for 128MB or less video cards.

Your comments are greatly appreciated.
 
no I think gabe mentioned that a high res pack might be available for 256mb cards over steam sometime in the future, and maybe motion blur. hmm.. 128 still seems like a lot to me but I dunno..
 
I too would like to know that I spent my money on something useful, I am sure future games will utilize the memory - even if HL2 doesn't

Btw, Cannibal - you better trim your sig down to 4 lines - before the moderators do bad things to you.
 
Hmmm.....unless the E3 footage was shot with these textures I think the game looks stunning enough without having to shell out for a 256MB card. Besides, looking at your system specs you already have the best card on the market and if the benchmarks I've seen for the 256MB 9800 pro are anything to go by the increase in performance is negligable. My advice would be to stick with your current card and put the money towards upgrading your processor too something with HT.
 
as far as I'm concerned 256 is a waste of money. By the time games will be able to use 256 everyone will be going with pci express and graphics cards will be using the system memory.
 
Originally posted by Cannibal Corpse
I am tempted to get a 256MB version of the ATi Radeon Card.

I have heard that HL2 has "super-high resolution" textures that once detected on a 256MB card, will be utilized instead of the normal textures for 128MB or less video cards.

Your comments are greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
;) I'd be willing to buy ur old one... lol. J/K.
256 wouldn't make THAT big of an increase of performance.
Originally posted by Profit
I too would like to know that I spent my money on something useful, I am sure future games will utilize the memory - even if HL2 doesn't

Btw, Cannibal - you better trim your sig down to 4 lines - before the moderators do bad things to you.
Click to expand...
Four lines is not that big. Atleast it's not an image of 500 height x 300 width. Plus it's only text, it takes meere seconds to load that.
 
Im going to get the 256. To me its a "thing", that if you have the money why not. If your system is up to snuff in all other areas why not? I do not believe the PCI-X will catch on. Wasnt AMR suppose to be the end to PCI? That (apparently) fell to the curb.

Anyho I say get it, the Sapphire is about 420. That is the one I am eyeing.
 
Remember CC, if you accidentally buy an FX5900, you must strip details, the graphics quality rapes your eyes and then the card strangles your performance.

Ha. Ha.
 
Steam is pressurized water vapor used for heating, cooking, or to provide mechanical power.

OR an online source for content update for various games.
 
Steam is VALVe's replacement gaming client (www.steampowered.com). Basically the old WON servers will eventually be turned off STEAM will take over. At the moment they will run paralell but this will soon change. You're WONID will soon be replaced by a STEAMID and to be able to use steam you have to enter a VALID VAVLe product CD-KEY during registration.

Go to the website and enrich your brain with the knowledge! :p
 
I would attatch the image, but unfortunatly they don't allow decent file sizes to show pics of steam.
 
yes, you will deffinetely want to get steam, as it will be necessary for many things, some good, some bad
 
steam is great, wow im typing from school :eek: my teacher not noticing : O
 
If the high-res pack will be released with steam mid/end 2004, there would be new graphics card out with the power for handling them + motion blur.
 
jhero, if teach notices just telll him your doing some research ;)
 
lol, im in my accounting class, can evaluate prices to fps ratio :D
 
And you shouldn't have a problem with updating anymore. Steam's working pretty good.

It includes free versions of Counter-Strike (new version), DOD, TFC, HL, Opposing Force, Ricochet and Deathmatch Classic and all you need to do is have a CD key registered for either one of those products on your computer already, or enter it if it prompts you to.
 
Under Heavy Texture Transition The 256 MB Version will be slightly Faster !
 
What about this $9 monthly fee that I have heard then? (And "three" different HL2 versions)
 
Well at newegg.com the 256mb 9600 is 6$ more then the 128mb so take a guess at what im gonig to get :p
 
True: The Radeon 9800 Pro 256 is the one you want to get as it's a brand new GPU. If you're going to upgrade and if youhave the spare money (and you want a 256MB card) go for that one. If you're not that bothered about 256MB go go for the Radeon 9800 Pro 128.

Cannib: That fee is if you want to buy HL2 via STEAM and you don't want to but it out right. It lets you get every new VALVe game as soon as they are released inclusive. So your $9 a month would get you HL2 and future titles like TF2 and HL2 expansions etc.
 
Cannibal, you can buy HL2 over Steam for around $10, then you need to carry on paying $10 a month and you'll be able to download all MODs, all Valve titles etc. for no extra charge other than $10 a month.

Or, also on Steam, you can buy the standard SP and MP HL2 for a one off charge.


Then in the retail shops there will be a singleplay only version for a cheaper price than usual.
A multiplayer and single player standard version for the usual price.
Or a multiplayer and single player collectors edition with loads of neat HL fanboy kinda stuff!
 
Reportedly, 256mb cards perform A LOT better with AA and AF on as opposed to 128mb. I read this in a benchmark article somewhere but they could not confirm it themselves.
 
Originally posted by omlette
Reportedly, 256mb cards perform A LOT better with AA and AF on as opposed to 128mb. I read this in a benchmark article somewhere but they could not confirm it themselves.
Click to expand...


not true.
 
First post. Hi.

Full scene Antialiasing (FSAA) works by generating a second image of the current frame in a buffer on your video memory. This frame is twice the size of the display (ie 1024 by 768 creates a 2048 by 1536 back buffer frame). Then each 2 by 2 pixel block is used to average the image so it looks smooth. So technically 256 meg cards should be quicker when it comes to FSAA. This is due to the 128 meg not been big enough to hold the image therefore system memory has to be used.

If it fits in the 128 meg of course you won't see any improvements.
 
feh screw 256 mb video cards. just get a crap load of super fast system memory (dual channel) and a 800 fsb processor. boom you won't know the difference
 
You'd still notice a little difference cos you've still gotta go over the system bus which even at 800 mhz is snail pace compared to direct memory access on the card. Plus if you can afford super fast memory and a high spec 800mhz bused processor you can probably afford the extra lira for the 256 meg graphics.
 
Yeah I agree at the moment it doesn't. But it might soon.

The more high res textures we see being used leaves less vid memory for things like AA and AF. I realise were only using 80 to 90 megs worth of texture memory now, but you've gotta remember to add geometry, two frame buffers (one for the display, one for the back buffer), then the AA and Af requirements. Your 128 meg ain't looking so huge anymore.

It's not until now that we see many games offering in game AA support so I think requirements for more vid memory may go up quicker than you think. Then again I maybe wrong.
 
One of the sites that did the HL2 benchmarks, I think it was Firing Squad, said that 256mb 9800pro worked "much better" in any hi-res AA/AF senario.

It could make a big difference, with 256mb cards offering AA and AF at very small performance hit opposed to a much larger hit on 128mb cards.
 
The thing is I never use any AA at all. I run all my games at 1600x1200x32bit 85Hz Monitor Refresh Rate, plus EVERYTHING cranked up. (well all the DX8 games anyways)

I am not concerend if the extra 128MB is going to be used for AA or not, I would like to see it being utilized for sharper, crisper textures. (if at all)

Only time will tell...
 
The hires pack's real feature is not higher res textures, but uncompressed nromal maps. This will make the bumps on things look much better and more complex.

I really wish Valve had shown 256 with AA benchmarks against a 128 so we could see if there is any performance difference right now.
 
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