FX5200 - 128-bit vs. 16-bit Memory Interface - How to Tell?

I am aware that some cards that use the NVIDIA FX5200 chip have 64 bit
memory interface, and some have 128 bit, and that 128 bit is faster/better.

I'm looking at one card which has 4 memory modules or TSOPs.

Each is piece of TSOP memory is 16M x 16.

According to the manufacturer, the card has a total 128MB of DDR memory.

Here's my question: Does this card have a 64 bit memory interface?

How can I tell?

Here's another, less urgent, puzzle: Each TSOP is marked as 256MB, but 256
x 4 is not 128MB. I believe it to be true the card has only a total of
128MB so why does each chip say it's 256?

the TSOP are 256MBit !!! 8 bit = 1 Byte !
1024MBit = 128 MByte.


"Don Enderton" wrote in
:

I am aware that some cards that use the NVIDIA FX5200 chip have 64 bit
memory interface, and some have 128 bit, and that 128 bit is
faster/better.

I'm looking at one card which has 4 memory modules or TSOPs.

Each is piece of TSOP memory is 16M x 16.

According to the manufacturer, the card has a total 128MB of DDR
memory.

Here's my question: Does this card have a 64 bit memory interface?

How can I tell?

Here's another, less urgent, puzzle: Each TSOP is marked as 256MB,
but 256 x 4 is not 128MB. I believe it to be true the card has only a
total of 128MB so why does each chip say it's 256?

my guess is that the 4 memory modules will be double sided so 4x16 on one
side=64mb and 4x16 on other side=64mb giving total of 128mb. I would also
guess it has a 128bit data path 16bit memory chips 4 on each side 16x8=128
:-)

I am just guessing i could be wrong but my figures add up. heh

On Wed, 08 Oct 2003 04:59:23 GMT, "Don Enderton"
wrote:

:I am aware that some cards that use the NVIDIA FX5200 chip have 64 bit
:memory interface, and some have 128 bit, and that 128 bit is faster/better.
:
:I'm looking at one card which has 4 memory modules or TSOPs.
:
:Each is piece of TSOP memory is 16M x 16.
:
:According to the manufacturer, the card has a total 128MB of DDR memory.
:
:Here's my question: Does this card have a 64 bit memory interface?
:
:How can I tell?
:
:Here's another, less urgent, puzzle: Each TSOP is marked as 256MB, but 256
:x 4 is not 128MB. I believe it to be true the card has only a total of
:128MB so why does each chip say it's 256?
:

-----
Lee.

Tom, thanks for answering my second question so well and clearly.

But what about my first question? Lee is only guessing, with all due
respect.

"tom" wrote in message
...
the TSOP are 256MBit !!! 8 bit = 1 Byte !
1024MBit = 128 MByte.


"Don Enderton" wrote in
:

I am aware that some cards that use the NVIDIA FX5200 chip have 64 bit
memory interface, and some have 128 bit, and that 128 bit is
faster/better.

I'm looking at one card which has 4 memory modules or TSOPs.

Each is piece of TSOP memory is 16M x 16.

According to the manufacturer, the card has a total 128MB of DDR
memory.

Here's my question: Does this card have a 64 bit memory interface?

How can I tell?

Here's another, less urgent, puzzle: Each TSOP is marked as 256MB,
but 256 x 4 is not 128MB. I believe it to be true the card has only a
total of 128MB so why does each chip say it's 256?

Tom, thanks for answering my second question so well and clearly.
But what about my first question?

If there are just two RAM chips on the board, it's definitely just 64-bit.
Each memory device is 32 bits wide, so that settles that. If there are 4
devices and if they're arranged in a square pattern like so:

GPU RAM
***** + +
*****
***** + +

OR with a pair of RAMs on the top side of the card and a pair on the bottom,
it's also probably 64 bits. Not 100% sure, but with RAM laid out like that
you need more layers in the PCB to carry all the traces for a 128-bit design
and that's not likely in a budget product. If the memory layout looks more
spread-out like a GF4, something like this:

+ +

***** +
*****
***** +

....Then it's definitely 128 bits. I haven't checked what 5200 PCBs look like
so I'm guessing a bit too here but logic dictates it should be something
like this. Anyway, info about mem bus width should be available on the
manufacturer's webpage. If it isn't, you shouldn't buy from that manufactuer
coz they might be trying to sell you a duff card.

Lenny wrote:
Tom, thanks for answering my second question so well and clearly.
But what about my first question?


If there are just two RAM chips on the board, it's definitely just 64-bit.
Each memory device is 32 bits wide, so that settles that. If there are 4
devices and if they're arranged in a square pattern like so:

GPU RAM
***** + +
*****
***** + +

OR with a pair of RAMs on the top side of the card and a pair on the bottom,
it's also probably 64 bits. Not 100% sure, but with RAM laid out like that
you need more layers in the PCB to carry all the traces for a 128-bit design
and that's not likely in a budget product. If the memory layout looks more
spread-out like a GF4, something like this:

+ +

***** +
*****
***** +

...Then it's definitely 128 bits. I haven't checked what 5200 PCBs look like
so I'm guessing a bit too here but logic dictates it should be something
like this. Anyway, info about mem bus width should be available on the
manufacturer's webpage. If it isn't, you shouldn't buy from that manufactuer
coz they might be trying to sell you a duff card.


Generally with a fx5200 there needs to be 8 ram chips to be 128bit,
mostly 8 on top, but sometimes 4 on top and 4 on the bottom.

On Wed, 08 Oct 2003 04:59:23 GMT, "Don Enderton"
wrote:

I am aware that some cards that use the NVIDIA FX5200 chip have 64 bit
memory interface, and some have 128 bit, and that 128 bit is faster/better.

I'm looking at one card which has 4 memory modules or TSOPs.

Each is piece of TSOP memory is 16M x 16.

According to the manufacturer, the card has a total 128MB of DDR memory.

Here's my question: Does this card have a 64 bit memory interface?

How can I tell?

Here's another, less urgent, puzzle: Each TSOP is marked as 256MB, but 256
x 4 is not 128MB. I believe it to be true the card has only a total of
128MB so why does each chip say it's 256?


I'd say... Avoid the fx5200 series ALL TOGETHER and not worry about
it...

Another Nvidia -screw-over- trick... they could have called it the
"fx5100" for 64bit versions.


--
Remember when real men used Real computers!?
When 512K of video RAM was a lot!

Death to Palladium & WPA!!

The Gainwards are great for overclocking but if you want a stock fx5200
that is already overclocked get a Prolink fx5200 like I did. They have 4
chips on top and 4 on the bottom and are 128bit. However, the only place
I have found that sells a true 128bit version of the card is newegg.com.
They come stock at 275/500 and are great budget cards for $72 shipped!

Model#: MVGA-NVG34A-DVI-128M

My scores jumped over 2000 points in 3Dmark2001se from my overclocked
MX440se which was at 355/315 from 250/300.

That may not sound too exciting but with this card, unlike the se, I can
run any and every benchmarking test and the new drivers coming out should
improve performance even more. Some message boards have users reporting
pretty nice jumps in fps, 10-20, for some of thier games.

You also get full DX9 compatibility.


But if you just simply want speed and fps spend a little more and get a
Gf4ti card.



"Don Enderton" wrote in
:

I am aware that some cards that use the NVIDIA FX5200 chip have 64 bit
memory interface, and some have 128 bit, and that 128 bit is
faster/better.

I'm looking at one card which has 4 memory modules or TSOPs.

Each is piece of TSOP memory is 16M x 16.

According to the manufacturer, the card has a total 128MB of DDR
memory.

Here's my question: Does this card have a 64 bit memory interface?

How can I tell?

Here's another, less urgent, puzzle: Each TSOP is marked as 256MB,
but 256 x 4 is not 128MB. I believe it to be true the card has only a
total of 128MB so why does each chip say it's 256?

On Mon, 13 Oct 2003 06:22:43 +0000 (UTC), destroyer
wrote:

The Gainwards are great for overclocking but if you want a stock fx5200
that is already overclocked get a Prolink fx5200 like I did. They have 4
chips on top and 4 on the bottom and are 128bit. However, the only place
I have found that sells a true 128bit version of the card is newegg.com.
They come stock at 275/500 and are great budget cards for $72 shipped!

Model#: MVGA-NVG34A-DVI-128M

My scores jumped over 2000 points in 3Dmark2001se from my overclocked
MX440se which was at 355/315 from 250/300.

Yeah... but still way slower than the Ti4200 which gets 10,000 or so
in 3DMark2001.




--
Remember when real men used Real computers!?
When 512K of video RAM was a lot!

Death to Palladium & WPA!!

Yeah... but still way slower than the Ti4200 which gets 10,000 or so
in 3DMark2001.



Not according to a few sites I checked out.

On the same system the overclocked Prolink scored around 7500 and the
ti4200 scored about 9000. Not that drastic of a difference there, and the
fx5200 has all the DX9 features so it will score higher in 3Dmark2003. If
I really wanted to spend the extra bit of money I would have to go with a
fx5200 Ultra from either Gainward or Prolink.

Besides, if the new drivers boost the FX scores more, which they should
since Nvidia is optomizing PS2.0 code, then I would not be surprised if
the 5200's bridge the GF4ti gap even further.

Then again, the FX cards suck ass when it comes to FSAA.