This article covers ways to increase dedicated VRAM on a Windows computer. VRAM is crucial for running graphics-intensive applications. And insufficient dedicated VRAM can limit system performance. We’ll explore the steps involved in increasing dedicated VRAM. By the end, you’ll know how to enhance your computer’s graphics capabilities.
Contents
What is VRAM
A computer’s graphics card uses VRAM, or virtual random access memory, to temporarily store data. Running graphically demanding programs like video games or picture editing tools requires it.
Lag or poor visual quality might result from low VRAM. Windows can perform better and handle more demanding apps by increasing dedicated VRAM. VRAM can be increased on some systems, but not all, and doing so might need replacing or upgrading the graphics card.
Steps involved to increase VRAM
Adjusting Bios settings
The initial way to adjust VRAM allocation is through the UEFI or BIOS of your computer. Access the BIOS and search for an option in the menu titled Advanced Features, Advanced Chipset Features, or a comparable label. Within that, search for a subcategory referred to as Graphics Settings, Video Settings, VGA Share Memory Size, or similar.
Within these categories, you will usually find an option to modify the amount of memory allocated to the GPU. Typically, the default allocation is 128MB, but you can increase it to 256MB or 512MB if you have additional memory available. However, not all CPUs or BIOS systems have this feature, and if you cannot modify it, there is an alternative solution available.
Increasing it in Windows (Not really increasing it but it seems like an increase)
As integrated graphics solutions automatically adjust to use the necessary system RAM, the specifics listed in the Adapter Properties window are generally unimportant. For integrated graphics, the Dedicated Video Memory value is fabricated, so it has no bearing on system performance. Its sole purpose is to provide a value for games to reference when checking for available VRAM.
However, you can modify a Registry value to adjust the VRAM amount that games perceive you have. It’s important to note that this does not actually increase your VRAM, but only modifies the artificial value. If a game fails to start due to insufficient VRAM, altering this value may resolve the issue.
To modify the Registry value, access the Registry Editor by typing “regedit” into the Start Menu. Keep in mind that incorrect modifications to the registry can harm your system, so proceed with caution.
Navigate to the following directory:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Intel
Right-click on the Intel folder found in the left panel and select New > Key. Name the new key GMM. Then, click on the newly created GMM folder in the left panel, and right-click inside the right panel.
Choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name this new entry “DedicatedSegmentSize,” and input a value while making sure to select the Decimal option. The minimum value is 0, which disables the entry, while the maximum is 512 MB. After setting the value, restart your computer and test whether the game runs more smoothly. If it doesn’t, try increasing the value and repeat the process.
While there is no guarantee that these methods will resolve your video memory problems, they are worth attempting if you encounter any issues. If you experience difficulties running games using integrated graphics and have limited system RAM, consider adding more RAM or freeing up memory to allocate to the integrated graphics. With integrated graphics, your computer will rely on your regular RAM, rather than the dedicated video RAM found in a graphics card, so having ample memory is crucial for smooth game performance.
Conclusion
To sum up there are two ways in this article to enhance VRAM on your Windows PC. One, by adjusting the BIOS settings. And two, by modifying the registry editor. It is important, however, to keep in mind that whereas these methods are quick and inexpensive, they may not work on all types of motherboards. Provided that you want to achieve better performance, it is recommended to invest in a dedicated graphics card. Even upgrading to an affordable graphics card can significantly improve your video output.