Need more info about video card requirements

[ejq29]

I just bought another ATI Radeon X1600 PRO video card (256 MB 128-bit) because my previous one (same card) got damaged. On the box, it said that the hardware requires 256 MB of system RAM. Can someone clarify/explain to me why it still requires system RAM because I only know that some video cards have their own RAMs already with them, and that only integrated video cards requires system RAM. Can someone tell me also how to exactly distinguish cards that require system RAM (asides from integrated cards) from the cards that don't, or maybe just provide me some basic facts about video cards (I hope there's no charge for it ). I'm just a newbie trying to understand more things about computers. I appreciate all of the information that will be provided!!! Thanks a lot!!!

[pam123]

Originally Posted by ejq29 I just bought another ATI Radeon X1600 PRO video card (256 MB 128-bit) because my previous one (same card) got damaged. On the box, it said that the hardware requires 256 MB of system RAM. Can someone clarify/explain to me why it still requires system RAM because I only know that some video cards have their own RAMs already with them, and that only integrated video cards requires system RAM. Can someone tell me also how to exactly distinguish cards that require system RAM (asides from integrated cards) from the cards that don't, or maybe just provide me some basic facts about video cards (I hope there's no charge for it ). I'm just a newbie trying to understand more things about computers. I appreciate all of the information that will be provided!!! Thanks a lot!!!

This has nothing to do with motherboard integrated video.
Your system still has to be able to run the card in the first place, drivers need to function and the operating system has to function in order for the card to work at all.
They just gave you the basic system requirements for that.

[ejq29]

thanks a lot for the info, pam123!!!