Video RAM on old cards

[bwbarbieri]

Everytime I check out an older video card, the "Basic Display RAM Size" seems to be 256K, while the "Texture Memory" can be 512K or 1MB. I'm trying to define these two terms for memory, and relate them to the total memory in a video card. Most of the cards I'm looking at are from the early 90's or late 80's.

Anybody know where I can find out more information, or care to comment?

What is "Texture Memory" vs. "Basic Display RAM Size" vs. "RAM" on the video card?

 

[Joelee]

Look at this, it is an excerpt from Webopedia.. good source

http://www.pcwebopedia.com/TERM/t/texture.html

Joelee

 

[bwbarbieri]

I read webopedia's entries for video and video RAM. None address the particular terms in a way that distinguishes Texture Memory vs. Video RAM vs. Basic Display RAM Size.

One person has suggested the following (I tend to agree): Basic Display RAM Size is the amount of memory needed just to paint a 2D picture on the screen. Texture is the 3D effect on top of the 2D.