Sony Vaio FZ graphics card query

Hi,

I have a Sony Vaio VGN-FZ21E, here are my specs:

OS: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit.
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7250, 2.00GHz.
Memory: 4gb.
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce 8400m GT GPU.

My query is about the dedicated video memory and the memory interface.

The official Nvidia website ( http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_8400M.html) lists the specs as being:

CUDA Cores: 16
Core Clock (MHz): 450
Shader Clock (MHz): 900
Memory Clock (MHz): 600
Maximum Memory: 512MB
Memory Interface: 128-bit
Memory Bandwidth (GB/sec): 19.2
Texture Fill Rate (billion/sec): 3.6

However, my laptop (under the Nvidia Control Panel, Advanced display settings, System Information etc) lists the specs as being:

DirectX version: 11.0
GPU processor: GeForce 8400M GT
Driver version: 195.62
Processor Cores: 16
Core clock: 450 MHz
Shader clock: 900 MHz
Memory clock: 602 MHz (1204 MHz data rate)
Memory interface: 64-bit
Total available graphics memory: 1855 MB
Dedicated video memory: 64 MB
System video memory: 0 MB
Shared system memory: 1791 MB
Video BIOS version: 60.86.3B.00.23
IRQ: 16
Bus: PCI Express x16

I have highlighted the relevant information in bold. Can anyone explain why these two figures are different? Is there any way to gain the full potential of this card, as stated by Nvidia?

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to ask.

Many thanks for your time.

 

Nvidia specs are "guidelines". Manufacturers are free to change them as they please. However, I don't know about the memory interface. That should not be different from Nvidia's specs.

 

I thought that may be the case but dismissed it as that's a bit cheeky on Sony's part - and why not just put a less powerful graphics card in the laptop if they only ship with 64mb of dedicated memory?!

Your reasoning would explain why Nvidia has put " maximum memory" and not merely "memory" though.

I presume there is no way for us mere mortals to alter what Sony has set the dedicated video memory to?

Thanks for your quick reply.

Any other ideas on the dedicated video memory or memory interface?

 

My FZ-190's Nvidia 8400M GT has 128-bit memory interface and 256 MB dedicated memory. Specs differ between various models.

 

The memory doesn't really matter. It's the interface that's worrisome. Halving the interface can have a good deal of impact on the performance of the card, so it's a really questionable move.

 

Coolguy:

Thank you for your reply. I guess that proves Lithus' point then. (And, off-topic, thank you for your Windows 7 install guide - was a godsend!).

Lithus:

I guess Sony was trying to cut back on cost but it's a shame because the specs (bearing in mind laptop is a 2-year-old entry level 'performance' laptop) are good otherwise! Why skimp out on graphics quality on this particular model? Why does a lower interface impact on performance more than the memory by the way?

Any other explanations for the difference between the specs I originally posted or any (doubtful) way to improve the performance of the graphics card are welcomed.

 

TBH, cutting back on cost with less memory interface isn't a whole lot of cost saving there. Is like buying a birthday cake but instead of having 30 candles they only have 1, just to hide the fact your getting older but preserving the idealogy of having the candle on the birthday. Sometimes wishes do come true you know (yeah I wish too)

The memory interface is decicated real time processing on graphics and the dedicated graphics memory is real time cache. The basics of it is something like this, but I can't gurantee if the words I choose fit it right, but hope it helps

Or is smiliar to the PC, Intell Chip and RAM - (but recently you might want to have a decent processer with a WHOLE army of RAM)

 

Thank you for your helpful metaphors, Moofo. Makes me wander why Sony bothered to cut back on the memory interface then! Maybe because I have only recently bothered to find out that it's less than Nvidia's specs and Sony can make more money by me upgrading to a new, more powerful, Vaio in the future. Then they can make some money and celebrate with a 50-candle cake and wish that you buy more laptops. Now I sound like a ranting cynic.

Best way to think of the memory interface is the graphics card's "processor" and the dedicated graphics memory is the graphics card's "RAM" then?

 

No. A graphics card has a processor, which acts like its processor, and has a RAM, which acts like its RAM. The memory interface is pretty much what it sounds like - the interface between the memory and the processing units.

 

Aye

But I could give you a reason why they will never light more then 1 candle on any cake. They can't bare anymore heat from even 1 extra candle after they had to run multiple test cutting down on your graphics processor to ensure "the surface" of your notebook is "warm" enough that if you attempt to fry something like eggs, it can only be achieve from the base of the notebook

 

True to that. Graphics card has so many type of processing sectors and what games/applications they are limit to and what they are not, I never really understand due to the fact base on exprience

Intell P945 Graphics card, login from asia to a MMORPG server in the US has a better lattency and gameplay activity then Geforce 8400M G, login from US playing togather at the same time

 

Thank you both for your replies.

Moofo - All of your [first] comment is probably true...