NVIDIA GeForce 2 GTS 64MB

Conclusion

Running anywhere from $70-$100 more than an equally configured 32 MB GeForce 2 GTS card, the extra 32 MB of memory comes at quite a cost. On the up side is the fact that many retailers are now carrying the Guillemot/Hercules 3D Prophet II GTS 64MB, however the cost will most certainly deter many potential buyers. With such a large premium to pay for owning the "most powerful" video card out there today, is the performance gain from a 64 MB GeForce 2 GTS worth it? Shall we continue with the trend of memory increases every summer? To answer these questions, we need to examine the 64 MB GeForce 2 GTS's current performance as well as its long term value.

As the performance numbers show, the extra 32 MB of memory (as well as $70-$100) results in a very nominal performance increase of about 8% only at very high colors and resolutions when in Quake III Arena. The Unreal Tournament numbers show that the additional 32 MB of memory really does not do anything until 1280x1024x32, where performance increased up to 52%. $70-$100 seems a high price increase to pay for a large performance gain in one specific color depth and resolution and minor performance gains in all others.

In order to determine if the 64 MB GeForce 2 GTS is right for you, one needs to consider how often you wish to walk down the upgrade path. Many users may find it more economically sound to purchase a 32 MB GeForce 2 GTS card now and upgrade around the time of the NV25, slated to be released a little less than a year from now. For those not interested in having top of the line performance no matter the cost, this path seems to make the most sense, as it seems that the 32 MB GeForce 2 GTS, with its S3TC texture compression, will be fine for games in the not so distant future.

A different path, however, should be taken by those who either want the best of the best now and are still willing to upgrade in a year and those who want to upgrade now and hold onto their investment for a longer period of time. For the user who wants the best of the best and is going to upgrade in about a year regardless, go with the 64 MB GeForce. While it dose not make that large of a difference now, future games will only increase the performance gain experienced with the additional 32 MB of memory. For the user who wishes to upgrade now to the best and hold on to their investment the longest, the 64 MB GeForce 2 GTS makes the most sense once prices fall within obtainable ranges. Once again, a user who wishes to retain his/her card for a long period of time will not regret the additional memory that the 64 MB card has to offer.

It seems that the best advice for one looking to upgrade now is to wait until 64 MB GeForce 2 GTS cards fall more in price. With the 32 MB cards dropping in price almost every few weeks, it seems that it is only a matter of time before the 64 MB cards are within the price range of current 32 MB cards. The performance gain from the extra memory may not be there now, but as games that do not take advantage of S3TC compression are released and texture sizes grow once again, the additional memory will most definitely equate to an increase in performance.