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Something a little weird with my new video card.
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Caleidascope
Republic Military School
Minmatar Republic
#1 - 2012-04-12 19:12:08 UTC
Last week I ordered nVidia GTX 460 1GB video card. It arrived this morning. I installed it into my comp. Fired up GPU-z to check things out. It says that the card has 2 GB of RAM.

Here are some screen shots from the utility programs:
nVidia Control Panel: http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n558/Caleidascope/GTX%20460/nvidiacontrolpanel.jpg
GPU-z: http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n558/Caleidascope/GTX%20460/gpuzscreenshot.gif

Anybody has an idea of what is going on? Is it just mistake on the seller's part?

Life is short and dinner time is chancy

Eat dessert first!
Grimpak
Aliastra
Gallente Federation
#2 - 2012-04-13 02:17:15 UTC
was the gpu-Z screenshot taken while the gfx card was idle?

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Caleidascope
Republic Military School
Minmatar Republic
#3 - 2012-04-13 04:14:13 UTC
Grimpak wrote:
was the gpu-Z screenshot taken while the gfx card was idle?

Yes.

I have eve running, I can take another.

Life is short and dinner time is chancy

Eat dessert first!
Pr1ncess Alia
Doomheim
#4 - 2012-04-13 04:18:13 UTC
Sounds (and looks) like you scored.

Astrid Stjerna
Sebiestor Tribe
#5 - 2012-04-13 04:26:58 UTC  |  Edited by: Astrid Stjerna
Caleidascope wrote:
Last week I ordered nVidia GTX 460 1GB video card. It arrived this morning. I installed it into my comp. Fired up GPU-z to check things out. It says that the card has 2 GB of RAM.

Here are some screen shots from the utility programs:
nVidia Control Panel: http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n558/Caleidascope/GTX%20460/nvidiacontrolpanel.jpg
GPU-z: http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n558/Caleidascope/GTX%20460/gpuzscreenshot.gif

Anybody has an idea of what is going on? Is it just mistake on the seller's part?


RAM is calculated in a slightly different manner thatn we're used to. For various arcane reasons (that are kind of technical, so I won't get into them here) 1 KB of memory is actually approximately 1024 bytes.

Your computer and card are accurate, it's just that your software is being unusually precise in its measurements.

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Caleidascope
Republic Military School
Minmatar Republic
#6 - 2012-04-13 05:00:56 UTC
Astrid Stjerna wrote:
Caleidascope wrote:
Last week I ordered nVidia GTX 460 1GB video card. It arrived this morning. I installed it into my comp. Fired up GPU-z to check things out. It says that the card has 2 GB of RAM.

Here are some screen shots from the utility programs:
nVidia Control Panel: http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n558/Caleidascope/GTX%20460/nvidiacontrolpanel.jpg
GPU-z: http://i1139.photobucket.com/albums/n558/Caleidascope/GTX%20460/gpuzscreenshot.gif

Anybody has an idea of what is going on? Is it just mistake on the seller's part?


RAM is calculated in a slightly different manner thatn we're used to. For various arcane reasons (that are kind of technical, so I won't get into them here) 1 KB of memory is actually approximately 1024 bytes.

Your computer and card are accurate, it's just that your software is being unusually precise in its measurements.

I know all that.

My main question is that I expected 1GB, but received 2GB. The precision error of 2-1=1 GB is a bit much, don't you think?

Life is short and dinner time is chancy

Eat dessert first!
Something Random
Center for Advanced Studies
Gallente Federation
#7 - 2012-04-13 07:30:56 UTC
If you have been charged the 1Gb then... SCORE Attention

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Hired Assasin
State Protectorate
Caldari State
#8 - 2012-04-13 16:52:49 UTC
i have noticed many thing from changing from Windows XP to vista/7

as far as im aware the graphics card adds system memory to help improve itself or either the OS calculates the actual speed of the ram and it says the proximate speed by saying it has more ram to be equal to the current system rams speed.

on windows xp my graphics card says 1GB, on windows 7 my graphics card says anywhere from 2.9gb - 3.2gb depending. so it does seem like its either borrowing system ram, or depending on the memory clock speed of the card determines the amount of ram vista/7 display.

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Jett0
Ministry of War
Amarr Empire
#9 - 2012-04-13 21:39:46 UTC
I've had times when I order a part, but it turns out they're out of stock and misreported inventory on the website, so they just send a better one. Once, I even got a graphics card of a newer generation this way.

Occasionally plays sober
Akita T
Caldari Navy Volunteer Task Force
#10 - 2012-04-13 22:48:33 UTC  |  Edited by: Akita T
You have received a very peculiar "OEM" version of the 460 old GF104 core (they are normally only made in 1 GB versions).
Your card's speeds are 650 core, 1300 shader and 4x850 memory, with 336:56:32 config core.
The default speeds of a non-OEM old 1 GB GF104 core are 675 core, 1350 shader, 4x900 memory (config core 336:56:32).

The oldest (768MB) version of the old GF104 core only comes in a 24 ROPs version, 336:56:24 config core, default speeds same.
The newer core is GF114 (also only supposed to come in a 1GB version) with a 336:56:24 config core (same as the older 460 core), with default speeds of 778 core, 1556 shader, 4x1002 memory (significantly higher), giving it an overall better performance in almost any circumstance.

Side note : I have a 1GB old GF104 core 460 myself, but it's been factory-overclocked to 715 core (+6% overclock vs stock, +10% vs yours, -8% vs new core), and 1430 shader, with memory left alone at 4x900.

...

I wouldn't say you got very shafted, but your stick is a bit shorter than it could have been.

In spite of the extra RAM (which only comes in handy for very high resolutions) I would send the card back, thanks to the underclocking (and also, because it's an underclock of the OLDER core, which is even worse).

Akita T evewiki profile | | | Build your own EVE-ready PC
Caleidascope
Republic Military School
Minmatar Republic
#11 - 2012-04-15 21:27:54 UTC
Akita T wrote:
You have received a very peculiar "OEM" version of the 460 old GF104 core (they are normally only made in 1 GB versions).
Your card's speeds are 650 core, 1300 shader and 4x850 memory, with 336:56:32 config core.
The default speeds of a non-OEM old 1 GB GF104 core are 675 core, 1350 shader, 4x900 memory (config core 336:56:32).

The oldest (768MB) version of the old GF104 core only comes in a 24 ROPs version, 336:56:24 config core, default speeds same.
The newer core is GF114 (also only supposed to come in a 1GB version) with a 336:56:24 config core (same as the older 460 core), with default speeds of 778 core, 1556 shader, 4x1002 memory (significantly higher), giving it an overall better performance in almost any circumstance.

Side note : I have a 1GB old GF104 core 460 myself, but it's been factory-overclocked to 715 core (+6% overclock vs stock, +10% vs yours, -8% vs new core), and 1430 shader, with memory left alone at 4x900.

...

I wouldn't say you got very shafted, but your stick is a bit shorter than it could have been.

In spite of the extra RAM (which only comes in handy for very high resolutions) I would send the card back, thanks to the underclocking (and also, because it's an underclock of the OLDER core, which is even worse).

An interesting thing I have not mentioned about this card is the fact that it only takes one external power connection.

For those not familiar with the subject. Normal GTX 460 takes two external power connections.

My guess is that lower operational frequencies might have something to do with the power consumption. Lower frequencies, less power consumption, one external power connection instead of normal two. My guess, anyway.

Overall I am pretty happy with what I bought. A few months ago a refurbished GTX 460 sold for about 100-130 USD. Currently I got brand new GTX 460 for the same amount of money and I expect the GTX 460 to disappear soon, so it was getting it now or never, and I am not willing to spend 160 USD for refurbished GTX 560 when I can have brand new 460 for less.

Life is short and dinner time is chancy

Eat dessert first!