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    Video ram (dedicated vs. shared)

    Discussion in 'HP' started by GBNova, Jul 19, 2005.

  1. GBNova

    GBNova Notebook Enthusiast

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    Hi folks.

    I have the ATI Radeon® Xpress 200M IGP with 128MB ram in my machine and the specs list the DDR memory as dedicated. It was my impression that this card was only available in shared system ram configuration. Are there models which actually utilize dedicated video ram?
     
    GBNova, Jul 19, 2005
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  2. KrispyKreme50

    KrispyKreme50 Notebook Evangelist

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    Yes, a configuration option in the zv6000 lets you have 128 MB dedicated and up to 128 MB shared. Otherwise, the other notebooks all have shared memory.
     
    KrispyKreme50, Jul 19, 2005
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  3. GBNova

    GBNova Notebook Enthusiast

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    That's odd, because my R4025 says it has 128 dedicated vid memory.
     
    GBNova, Jul 19, 2005
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  4. Brian

    Brian Working at 486 Speed NBR Reviewer

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    It's confused...that's a new card that probably isn't being read quite right. I assure you the 200M does not have 128MB dedicated RAM.
     
    Brian, Jul 19, 2005
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  5. Original Name

    Original Name Newbie

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    Original Name, Jul 19, 2005
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  6. Brian

    Brian Working at 486 Speed NBR Reviewer

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    Well good point, LOL - are you sure you have the 200M? Their site appears down to me, so I can't see what the cards are, maybe an X300 128MB?
     
    Brian, Jul 19, 2005
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  7. strategist333

    strategist333 Notebook Consultant

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    Here I've done some research on this previously, so I'll help clear this up:

    The 200M comes with the option of HyperMemory. Basically a 200M with HyperMemory has some quantity (128 MB in this case) of discrete RAM, RAM that is onboard the chip but still not up to par with dedicated memory. It also has the capability of adding up to 128 MB shared memory from system RAM.

    Without the HyperMemory, the 200M is just a pure IGP: all shared RAM, up to 128 MB, and not much different from other IGP's.

    I did read somewhere that the 200M is based on the x300 chip, so keep that in mind.
     
    strategist333, Jul 19, 2005
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  8. brianstretch

    brianstretch Notebook Virtuoso

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    The Radeon 200M integrated GPU has a new trick: you can hang 128MB of dedicated memory off of it. Four BGA RAM chips don't take up much space on the motherboard. Every retail model zv6000/R4000 machine I've seen comes with the dedicated video memory option. RAM is so cheap it's a "Why not?" expense. I don't know why they bothered with the shared-memory-only option.
     
    brianstretch, Jul 19, 2005
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  9. GBNova

    GBNova Notebook Enthusiast

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    I don't recall if the computer reports it as dedicated, but I know the specs from the place I bought it from did say it was dedicated. They did not list it as having the Hypermemory though, but that could be an omission.

    Your right in that this card is based on the x300
     
    GBNova, Jul 20, 2005
    #9