Crazy?.... 512MB 8600M GT??

Hey under my adapter tab for desktop properties it's telling me:


Chip Type: GeForce 8600M GT
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Memory Size: 512MB
Adapter String: GeForce 8600M GT
Bio Information: Version 60.84.50.00.02

Did I get a 512MB version? Or is it really 256mb dedicated? I thought thats how they read.... Am I just crazy and ignorant? I have a Vostro 1500 by the way. Thanks!

 

Check your RAM to see how much you have. If it is less then what you have, then it's been siphoned off.

Plus, the amount of Video Ram is really just a way for people to compare e-peen sizes, cause it really doesn't matter as much as people make it.

 

The Vostro 1500 has a 256 Mb 8600m GT with turbocache up to 512 Mb. Not that it matters though, the 8600m GT, especially the DDR2 version, will have a hard time driving 512 Mb.

 

My system still tells me that I am rolling with 2GB of ram. Which is how much I should have..

 

does the 1520 support turbocache?

 

It's possible... there is a true 512mb version of the 8600 GT out

 

Yeah I thought so. I'm trying to figure that out if I really did get a 512MB. Or if infact it's turbochache, which I thought was not available on these 8 series cards. Anyone with a 256MB 8600M GT that can see if they get the same memory read?

 

Try running CPU-Z and see what it says.

 

Got it. Where should I be looking? I dont know where to look for GPU information

 

took the words right out of my mouth!

(or use Unknown Device Identifier)

 

Cant find any information on the MB size in CPU-Z or unkown identifier. Hrmm

 

does it give you a part number or anything like that you could look up?

 

Im going to try Rivatuner and see

 

More of a surprise. It's 256 but...

128-bit G84 (A2,32sp) with 256MB DDR3

DDR3, what the heck? I thought these GTs only run on DDR2 and the 8700's run on DDR3. Now I am really confused, haha. The 512MB read must be from the new ForceWare drivers I installed

 

Hmmm, that says its the 8400GS(which has GDDR3).

 

Should I be concerned? This whole video card stuff is boggling my mind right now! Whats the difference between the 8400GS with DDR3 and the 8600GT with DDR2?

My properties page tells me that I have a 8600M GT, and RivaTuner says 8600M GT as well.....This is WEIRD!

 

I think it's best just to leave it alone, cause it looks like its the 8600GT for sure, since thats what you ordered. It's known to be 256mb dedicated, 512mb with Turbo Cache, so I'd just leave it at that, unless you really want to know. Right now it's making us go around in circles

 

Haha yeah seriously. Well thanks for the help. I Appreciate it.

 

lol leave it u should be happy with it =P

 

Oh definitely I am. I'm just trying to understand it! lol

 

If the 128 bit mentioned B/4 has to do W/cards bus then can't be 8400 as it has 64, try a different app like SiSoft Sandra, or any other. It is going in circles but when figured out will be worth it for all!

 

Ok I'll try SiSoft and see. I have time to burn while I wait for my apps to install and for vanguard to update.

 

I have seen a go 7600 w/turbo cache and it took RAM from what windows shows if yours does not show in Windows I question turbo cache, How much RAM do you have? do not use CPU-Z right click my computer click properties what does that say?

 

G84 = 8600M
G86 = 8400M

Go figure.

 

Sandra said....

Model: NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
Chipset: GeForce 8600M GT
RAMDAC: Integrated RAMDAC
Video BIOS: Version 60.84.50.00.02
VGA Comatible: No
Total Memory: 512MB (506MB Video) (119MB System)
Texture Memory: 625MB
SUpports DIME Texturing: Yes


Maximum Payload Size: 128
Width: x16/x16
Speed: 2.5Gb/s/2.5Gb/s

(I'll try to get Screenshots of all the different diagnostics)

 

I have 2GB of ram showing. (which is how much I really have)

 

Here is a screenshot of RivaTuner, Sandra and from my properties page. Ideas anyone? haha

http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee194/Chanash-2007/GT2.jpg

 

allow me to ask this question one more time

Does the 1520 support turbocache? Can any 1520 confirm or deny the claim?

Thank you

 

You might have a 512MB card. Unless someone else has a better answer? My brother ordered a XPS 3 or 4 years ago and the "Extreme" CPU was a $900 extra, he passed and when he got it, guess what? it was "Extreme" sometimes cheaper for them to throw in than wait. I do not know of 512MB 8600GT but if they come out in a month or two then you got one!


You have 512MB the system RAM of 119MB adds up to the 625 (506+119) total! Enjoy!

 

Honestly that would be absolutely fantastic news. I am curious as to what the other Vostro 1500 users are showing that got the 256MB 8600GT.

 

Also just to add I bought a notebook came with 4200 HDD, No I have a 5400, cheaper for suppliers to send what they have to meet the terms of contract than send nothing, it happens all the time! People do not complain when they get better! I have also read that those specs are infact reffered to as minimum standards? Go figure?

Hey benchmark it w/3Dmark and see?

 

The Sager 2090 Notebook comes with a 512MB DRR2 8600M GT.

http://www.sagernotebook.com/product_customed.php?pid=687&action=customize

The Video card is the third item listed.

 

OK you answered that! Thanks for the input! Looks like they ran out of 256MB and to fufill their obligation to Dell they shipped 512MB, they can not advertise as Sager has paid extra for those but they can put them in to meet demand! Remember Core 2 Solo's are Core 2 Duos w/one core disabled. This ain't ice cream cones sometimes easier to make all the same.

 

nope...256mb and borrows ram from the cpu. Im pretty sure anyways because I asked this question before and a guy with like 52 rep told me so, so Im guessing hes right. Plus my performance in battlefield 2 is good, yet not mind-blowing...


EDIT: Ok now checked on steam what my system info was and it also says 512mb VRAM 8600gt...and my system ram is 2gb. Can any experienced computer "geeks" (term used lightly and not for offence) tell us whats happening? I thought there was no turbocache for these notebooks...?

 

I think I might understand what you mean, but! YOU CAN NOT borrow RAM from a CPU as that it has none! Anyway I think you misunderstood the guy w/52 rep or diff question?

Rep means something and 52 is an awfull lot so I know the guy know's what's up! But it means little in the real world, I highly suspect you misunderstand but if I am wrong I will put my 1 rep against theirs on this with what has been said! I may be wrong but I am using my brain!

 

you need to check how much ram is used, not how much you have

cpuz will report how much ram you have total

rivatuner is for desktop

the 8600gt from dell is 99% 256mb and is ddr 2

eDIT: i'm pretty sure when the dude above said "borrowed ram from cpu" , he meant borrowed the system ram

 

k, Im too lazy to download rivatuner right now cause Im trying to figure out a way to speed up my CS:S download (10.0kb/s sometimes!), Im sure its not 512mb but Im just curious of whats actually going on.

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2360330#post2360330 near the bottom...the guy has 56 rep, but he posted in this topic too and seems less sure so I dno what to think nemore..

 

Read earlier in the thread, he responded to my question as well and he wasnt sure! Any other Vostro 1500 people showing the same information that mine shows? See my screenshot I think on the 3rd or 4th page. Im not home but I will do some of the other suggested things later on. (as in I will run 3D Mark and see what it benchmarks at)

 

On another note, I think there is at least a good shot that some of these are the DDR3 versions because according to my RivaTuner it's DDR3. We'll see later on I guess.

 

I read an article that RivaTuner was giving out incorrect information for notebook GPU's. So it may be just that.

 

Correct, Rivatuner is not 100% compatiable in reading the new 8xxx series MOBILE GPUs just yet, so it reports all 8600GT's as GDDR3.

 

Look at the clock speed of the memory, not the type listed. That is generally accepted as accurate in Rivatuner.

 

ohh man i just ate the largest amount of noodles ever

 

Here's that info from RivaTuner

$0100000000 Graphics core : G84 revision A2 (32sp)
$0100000001 Hardwired ID : 0407 (ROM strapped to 0407)
$0100000002 Memory bus : 128-bit
$0100000003 Memory type : DDR3 (RAM configuration 00)
$0100000004 Memory amount : 262144KB
$0100000100 Core clock domain 0 : 182.250MHz
$0100000101 Core clock domain 1 : 364.500MHz
$0100000006 Memory clock : 799.200MHz (1598.400MHz effective)
$0100000007 Reference clock : 27.000MHz

 

3D Mark score of 3356. 1440x900 with 2GB PC5300 Ram, and the newest ForceWare drivers. Looks like it's the 256 DDR2 for sure. I wonder if there are any better drivers out there that can push my score up a few hundred points.

 

On my Vostro 1500, it says that I have 512mb Ram for the GPU in XP but in Vista it says 256mb since I have dual-boot, so I'm guessing I have the correct 256mb version.

But the wierd thing is that my friend also got a Vostro with the 8600M GT, but his says 256mb in XP.

 

im getting the same readings as chanash. same comp, vostro 1500 w/ 8600m gt. i dunno if they put in a higher spec card or what. i do know that the 512mb version of that card is MXM graphics, which would need the nvidia chipset and not the intel 965 chipset. the Asus c90S comes with that option. so i really have no idea what is going on with that card right now.

sadly, even though its amazing in memory, i wasnt able to overclock it and i cant use antialiasing or antisotropic filtering otherwise the frame rate drops like a friggen brick. in any case, it looks just fine without the fancy AA and AF stuff, just a couple inconsistancies here and there, everything other than those 2 are at max. im using hitman blood money, btw.

 

A reading of around 3300 is perfectly normal for a 256 MB DDR2 8600M GT when the benchmark is run at a resolution below default. The average score of 2900 is for 3DMark06 run at default resolution of 1280x1024, which can only be done with a 1680x1050 resolution screen or by hooking your laptop up to an external monitor. To the best of my knowledge, the highest default resolution 3DMark06 score achieved on a 1520/1720 is about 3600, which is approximately 200 points lower than GDDR3 8600M GT laptops bench at out of the box. What 200 points in 3DMark06 translates to in real game performance is debatable .

IIRC, the 512MB version of the card found in other laptops also has similar benchmark performance to the 256MB version because it is limited by the memory bandwidth.