"256-bit is 256-bits, where a bit is a one or a zero. 256-bits is also 32-bytes. The reason we call GeForce 256 bits is that the memory controller fetches 256-bits of information per clock when using DDR memory. In fact, many data paths internally are wider than 256-bits." So there you have it, only boards using the faster double data rate (DDR) SGRAM are closer to that 256-bit "thingy" and will perform more efficiently (with added bandwidth) as a result. But you'll need to pay an extra $100 for DDR-SGRAM.

Some of you have written in dismay at the recent memory prices. The apparent ramifications of the Taiwanese Earthquake in terms of the PC industry are very clear. Memory prices are continually rising and the Earthquake itself will obviously continue to be detrimental (not to mention for the general population of the island itself). Before the Earthquake hit the Island of Taiwan (thus the situation has since worsened), we conducted a mini-interview with WinTec's (WinTec is the third largest memory manufacturer in the world) Marketing Manger, Raymond Cain:

SE: Why has the price risen so dramatically and so quickly? What are the reasons for the shortage of memory?

WinTeC: Memory prices have actually been on the rise for the last 8-10 weeks. The increase has accelerated in the last few weeks, that is why it has become more noticeable. The price increases seem to be caused by a combination of many things: 1. Memory manufacturers are changing product mix to more profitable products. They are switching to things like Flash memory. 2. Larger than expected 4th quarter demand and the desire of the memory manufacturers to make a profit. 3. The recent Taiwan power blackout (We were actually in Taiwan when this occurred- Ed). 4. Recent antidumping duties added to Korean memory