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Importance of Memory Bandwidth

Functionally, memory or framebuffer is considered as the bridge or warehouse between CPU core and pixel pipeline. Obviously, memory capacity determines the size of the "warehouse", bandwidth determine the width of "bridge". And those two are both indispensable: The former is often considered as "memory capacity" and the later as "memory speed". Furthermore, faster memory technology can make a significant contribution to overall performance of 3D. Besides, pipeline spend longer in transmitting the data than the time CPU spent in performing functions. Thereby increasing memory bandwidth can achieve more significant results than by increasing CPU core frequency.

Memory bandwidth is the foundation of good performance for graphics card. Specifically, it is huge performance gap of memory bandwidth in X300SE, GeForce FX5800, GeForce 7300GS as the like that has rendered them inferior compared with its counterparts. Now that what reference standards can feature memory bandwidth? In fact, memory bandwidth can be judged by memory interface calculated by the formula of "width of single particular framebuffer bit multiply total number of framebuffer particles" , as well as Memory frequency by "1000 / nanoseconds of framebuffer particles".

From GDDR1 to GDDR4, it can be concluded that memory interface is dependent on the chip technology instead of board design. However, different GDDR memories differ in package cost, frequency limit, heat and other aspects of production, which also lead to constantly swinging memory technology. Today, the old GDDR1 have completely shown signs of fatigue; GDDR2, GDDR3 have been an absolute mainstream and GDDR4 has just surfaced. Although GDDR3 and GDDR4 can not decide the memory interface but the memory frequency instead, deceive performance factor is not just memory interface as well as memory bandwidth that is related to memory frequency. It is through higher memory frequency that GDDR3 and GDDR4 have managed to achieve higher memory bandwidth.

In general, speed of every GDDR3 particular bit is above 2.5ns(typically 2.0ns), in this case, it runs at 1GHz theoretically. There is no doubt that if the memory frequency of graphics card is only 500MHz, it will only be equivalent to 1GHz GDDR3 memory of 64bit even if its memory interface is128bit. In addition, memory frequency will be inevitable to bring higher bus interface, and its implementation efficiency will not be diminished. That's to say that 64bit GDDR3 memory at 1GHz performance is beyond 128bit GDDR memory at 500MHz.

Ultimately, if you want to get informed with more professional knowledge about graphics card and computer troubleshooting, please keep an eye on ATI Drivers. Simultaneously, ATI Drivers wants to enhance your awareness to update your drivers to the up-to-date version in due time with Driver Detective once again.

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