Can the X700 in the Z70va really have 256MB??

I,ve read somewhere that the X700 w/128MB of memory accually has the ability to use another 128MB (onboard) memory from a driver update. Is this true??? Hyper something i believe!! can Someone chime in here and give us the details..

 

the x600 has what's called hyper-memory, but it's anything but hyper. basically it's a driver that automatically eats 64-128mb of system ram so that the user can smile in satisfaction when "system info" says he has 128-256mb of vram and that's REALLY all it does. the x700 users have been blessed not to have this ram termite.

 

great thanks,

I just used the search function and there doesn't seem to be an increase in the Performace realm using Hyper-whatever ATi calls it. lol

thanks flaxx

 

Yea, flaxx is 200% on the dot.

Besides boasting, it won't help in most scenerios.

 

One quick question about all this memory talk...as I am familiar with desktops and full featured desktop bios, I'm wondering why notebooks or my z70va's bios doesn't have an option for changing the aperture size...or is aperture size only associated with AGP systems? I'm guessing this is it...stupid question nevermind hahahaha

Cheers,
Mike

 

Aperture size is only for AGP so yes it explain why the z70va doesnt have that option

 

Are you sure your x700 doesn't have hypermemory? Unfortunately, mine does! I'm running the latest ATI drivers (8.172.0.0 dated 8/30/05). When I used the Catalyst 5.10 drivers it had hypermemory too. You can check it by running 3DMark05 and looking at the info for your system. Mine shows 256 MB with either set of drivers. Maybe the Omega drivers disable this? I'd love to find a way to turn it off.

Would anyone else like to check their system and report?

 

i've heard that Hypermemory actually will benefit in certain 3d graphics applications. but i think that is it. gaming seems to have little improvement from what i have heard

 

Hypermemory is only on the x600 and x700 (not the x800) ....... Turning it off really isn't a big deal........ it doesn't use that memory until you physically use all the dedicated memory.... then it starts to allocate memory as needed beyond that....... so you're not wasting ram in some sort of allocation all the time.......

... it's not going to help in 3d mark.... it's going to be little to no help in any sort of gaming....... however it will help you in heavy 3d graphics programs from autocad to maya to 3d studio max to to premier to even a bit in photoshop.... There's nothing "wrong" with hypermemory, but it certainly shouldn't be used as a main selling tool as many others are doing.

 

Thanks for the helpful reply. I know it's not supposed to use the system memory unless it needs it, but I'd really prefer not to have it use it ever. I wish ATI would provide an option to turn it off. I just don't trust that it won't think it needs it when I'd prefer it not to use it. Oh well . . . I still think the Z70Va is a great machine .

 

.... well that's sort of stupid because if you run out of VRAM and the program you use (like autocad), ONLY caches to the VRAM, then your system ram is going to wait during those periods anyway...... if you run out of VRAM in a situation like that, you'll get an "our of system resources" message and the program will shut down. It's weird how it works, but the programs that do this, you'll notice that they're not taking up very many system resources (that's because they try to pull them all from VRAM)..... if you never use a program like this.... it's technically off all the time anyway........ and if you do use them........ you get all the benefit of having the 256mb graphics cards they claim to require, which the cost (and not to mention heat, battery life and weight) that an x700 gpu can fit into.

So, technically, no matter what you want.......... there is zero downside to it being there.... ZERO. You can be one of those people who doesn't trust your computer, but it takes it as it needs it......... you can even look at your system resources in the task manager.... your graphics card isn't stealing anything on you and it's not designed to work like that.

 

Good point. I was ignoring the fact that if it doesn't need the memory it won't use it. Thanks

 

... You're welcome... at least you're not that hard nosed.... I'm glad I could get it to sink in

 

I was tired when I wrote that post, and so I missed the (fairly obvious) point you made. You can't learn much if you won't admit your misteaks

 

Very good... and point taken... sometimes I often skim posts myself.