128 Bit Bus Cards

I keep hearing how cards like the 9500M can't effectively use 512megs of VRAM due to it's bus limitation at 128 bit. With the new HD3650 ATI cards showing up in a few laptops, I am curious about the gig of VRAM they come with. Are they going to be subject to the same problem, not really being able to use anymore than 256megs of VRAM due to the low bus. I haven't heard this brought up yet and I don't know if ATI does things differently to get around this. If anyone has any comments I'd appreciate it b/c I am trying to make a decision on a laptop that has the 9500m, or paying a little more for a laptop that has the HD3650 since it may be slightly more future proof. I know as of now, even though there are very few real benchmarks, the HD3650 is supposedly performing slightly better in benchmarks, but it's more or less the same. I thank you in advance.

 

They can have a terrabyte of VRam,the 128 bus will always cripple the cards at higher resolutions so they won`t be able to use the Vram anyway.
A good card which can game at high resolutions need at least a 256bit bus.

 

The laptops in question are these
ASUS M50 Series M50Sa-AK023C - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220306
ASUS M50 Series M50Sv-A1 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834220279

The first one runs at 1680x1050 resolution while the second one is 1440x900. It seems to me that I might be better off getting the 1440x900 laptop since I would hopefully be able to run games at a resolution that is closer to the LCD's native resolution. Do you think I'd see much of a performance increase with the HD3650 at 1680x1050, over the 9500M at 1440x900? I know more than likely I will have to drop the resolution on both cards to play newer games.

 

I was looking for a laptop and now that you posted the one with the 9500GS, I am considering getting that one. Thanks.

 

The main problem is not the 128bits but the DDR2. If it had 512MB GDDR3 1800/2000, it would be better with 512MB than 256MB, even on 128bits

 

+1, in most cases a smaller amount of faster ram will give considerable improvement over twice the amount of slower ram. Its all about marketing to the unknowing masses though, throw on gobs of cheaper slower memory and make it look and seem more appealing, and it'll sell like hotcakes, especially for semi impulse buyers at big box stores being misled by salepeople who either dont know or dont care, their job is to sell product, and thats what they do or attempt to do.

 

I appreciate your guys comments, but in this situation I think both cards have DDR2 memory. Meaning that it doesn't really help answer my question. At any rate, I am pretty much set on the 9500M. It's cheaper and seems to be just as capable?

 

Yes it is capable, specially for the great price. Both the HD 3650 and 9500M GS are very similar in performance.