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    How do I know I actually got the 256mb X1400?

    Discussion in 'Dell' started by Jettubby, Apr 12, 2007.

  1. Jettubby

    Jettubby Notebook Consultant

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    I just got a Dell 1505. I got it with the 256mb x1400 video card. In display settings under advanced settings it shows the x1400 card. It says:

    Total available graphics memory: 895mb
    Dedicated Memory: 128mb
    Shared Memory: 767mb

    Now is Dell misleading when they sell the x1400 by saying it's a "256mb X1400? How much memory is on the video card itself? Looks to me like only 128mb. For those of you that have this card can you check? Thanks.

    T
     
    Jettubby, Apr 12, 2007
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  2. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Physically, the card has 128MB of onboard discrete memory. It also can borrow an additional 128MB from system RAM (only when needed so don't worry about it) for an aggregate total of 256MB. Marketing sham...maybe, but the card shouldn't suffer as a result.

    If you want to read through the GPU Guide, you'll get more questions answered...but here's a quote from it:
    Most/all the time, you'll only need 128MB anyway at best.
     
    Greg, Apr 12, 2007
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  3. Jettubby

    Jettubby Notebook Consultant

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    What I figured. Thanks. Well at least it's not the Intel 950. ;-)
     
    Jettubby, Apr 12, 2007
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  4. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Well, the specs list itself 128MB. Check out 3dMark05 as it should be able to break down where your memory comes from in the more detailed reports it can provide under the free version you can get.

    Hope that helps!
     
    Greg, Apr 12, 2007
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  5. postmortem

    postmortem Notebook Consultant

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    obviously you have vista, and that is part of confusion. Vista has different driver model than XP. Under XP, adapter info would show 256MB, although only 128MB are actually on board, as said by others as well. remaining 128MB adapter can use as necessary from main memory (in XP)

    Looks like in vista, adapter can use even more system memory...
     
    postmortem, Apr 13, 2007
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  6. mujtaba

    mujtaba ZzzZzz Super Moderator

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    As far as I remember the 256MB dedicated and 128MB dedicated with the rest coming from hypermemory will not not make much of a difference.
     
    mujtaba, Apr 13, 2007
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  7. Jettubby

    Jettubby Notebook Consultant

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    Thanks all. This was a 'scratch & dent' computer so I didn't really have a choice in vid cards. Just didn't want the I950. I won't be gaming much on it or just low intensity games.
     
    Jettubby, Apr 13, 2007
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  8. Metamorphical

    Metamorphical Good computer user

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    Go to start. Click Run and type 'dxdiag'. This will bring up a snap which will give you a list of your specs. Click on 'display' for exact info on you gpu.

    edit: This works just fine in Vista.
     
    Metamorphical, Apr 13, 2007
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