Computers have RAM, Random Access Memory. So do graphics playing cards. Why does your system want two copies of the identical half doing the identical job? The reply is sophisticated — in loads of methods, a discrete graphics card works like its personal mini-computer inside one other laptop, and which means it has specialised {hardware} wants. Fortunately, Keith May is right here to elucidate the small print to you within the newest PCWorld YouTube video.

There are loads of issues to bear in mind after we’re speaking in regards to the reminiscence in your graphics card, normally known as Video RAM or VRAM. It masses up all the information for a recreation’s visuals as they’re introduced. The greatest chunk of that’s the textures, the picture information which can be overlayed on 3D polygons to be able to give them a stable form and, effectively, texture.

While broadly just like the usual DDR RAM put in on each desktop, laptop computer, and cellphone, the GDDR reminiscence inside a graphics card is particularly designed and custom-tuned for graphics, making it far more environment friendly for that function. Generally, the extra GDDR RAM your card has, the higher, although different variables can have an effect on efficiency, just like the width of the reminiscence bus (expressed in bits, like 128-bit or 256-bit) and the capability of the person reminiscence modules soldered to the cardboard.

This relationship between the quantity of RAM, and the way it’s laid out, and the reminiscence bus that enables that reminiscence to speak with the GPU chip, is important. A bunch of additional RAM in your card gained’t really end in an enormous efficiency enchancment if the cardboard can’t entry all of it as a result of it’s throttled by a slim bus. An older GPU design will even have hassle making the most of an enormous RAM pool on the most recent video games, regardless of how a lot is added. Keith’s video explains all.

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