»I briefly mentioned the functional purpose of all the components of this device. Today we will figure out what is the graphics memory of a video card and why is it needed?
What is video memory
You probably know that the graphics chip is responsible for rendering any image in the computer - for example, it calculates the interaction of objects in the game.
Intermediate data, which are then displayed on the monitor, are stored just in the video memory. These blocks are connected with each other, a data bus (you can read more about what it is, its bit depth and the effect on the operation of the device).
Modern graphics accelerators now use GDDR5 memory (with the exception of budget models, some of which still run on DDR3). In fact, this is the usual random access memory found in any PC.
But unlike the RAM, the video memory card is sealed tightly, so there is absolutely no way to replace it without raskurachivaya video card).
Why is this solution implemented? Not for "foolproof" purposes, as you might think. This is done so that the user, who no longer has enough video memory to launch some new game in the gaming industry, does not buy an additional memory module on the cheap, but buys a new heaped up video card.
Although, if you don't believe in conspiracy theory, you can ignore my opinion.
Bigger is better or not?
The subject of comparative phallometry of ordinary users is often the amount of video memory. It happened at the suggestion of marketers - when they snatch a new product, they will buzz your ears about this. 
More advanced users, especially gamers, who have to indulge their favorite hobby, sacrificing their personal time, pay attention, first of all, to the memory frequency (and, of course, to the core frequency).
Why is that? It is not so important how much data a video card can remember - if it is running slowly, even overclocking will not always help to significantly increase the performance in games.
How much video memory do you need
I will not go into how much video games have changed over the past 5 years - if you are "in the subject", then you yourself can see everything perfectly. This quality of graphics requires a powerful video card - if, of course, you want to play at acceptable settings, while not suffering from the "slideshow" during the FPS drawdown.
However, the quality of the graphics is not the only problem faced by modern gamers. In the game industry, it has become a good practice to make games with an open, seamless world (if the genre implies such a "feature" - for example, an RPG or a shooter).
A game in which the user will have to constantly wait for locations to load has a high chance of failing.
To memorize all (or at least the closest) objects of such a game world, a solid amount of video memory is required. For modern games, 3 GB or more has become the norm.
I don’t want to upset you, but this is only so far today - in a couple of years, top-end video cards may not be able to pull new items at ultra-settings. What do you think?
Alas, most of the developers are aimed at the mass consumer, so they focus on YOBA games, where the rest of the components can be sacrificed for the sake of "graphony" - a plot thought out by an ENT specialist, unusual quests that differ from the usual "kill everyone".
What conclusions can we draw
I almost forgot, no need to think about how to use all the video memory - in games it is automatically used, even if the system displays that there is less available. 
Based on the above, when choosing a video card, I advise, first of all, to focus on the memory frequency, ignoring the volume, if the budget for the upgrade is limited.
And that's all for me. Until next time on the pages of my blog. Don't forget to newsletter and share publications on social networks!
Despite the fact that modern content requires more and more powerful graphics accelerators, some tasks are quite capable of video cores integrated into the processor or motherboard. The integrated graphics do not have their own video memory, so they use part of the RAM.
In this article, we will learn how to increase the amount of memory allocated to an integrated graphics card.
We increase the memory of the video card
The first thing to note is that if you are looking for information on how to add video memory to a discrete graphics adapter, then we hasten to disappoint you: this is impossible. All video cards that are connected to the motherboard have their own memory chips and only sometimes, when they overflow, they "throw" some of the information into RAM. The volume of chips is fixed and cannot be corrected.
In turn, the built-in cards use the so-called Shared memory, that is, the one that the system "shares" with it. The size of the allocated space in the RAM is determined by the type of chip and motherboard, as well as by the BIOS settings.
Before trying to increase the amount of allocated memory for the video core, you need to find out what the maximum amount is supported by the chip. Let's see what type of embedded kernel we have in our system.
We see that in this case the kernel uses the maximum amount of memory. This means that no amount of manipulation will help increase its performance. There are custom drivers that add some properties to such video cores, for example, support for newer DirectX versions, shaders, increased frequencies, and others. The use of such software is highly discouraged, as it can cause malfunctions and even disable your built-in graphics.
Move on. If DirectX Diagnostic Tool shows the amount of memory other than the maximum, then it is possible, by changing the BIOS settings, to add the size of the allocated space in the RAM. The motherboard settings can be accessed at system boot. When the manufacturer's logo appears, press the DELETE key several times. If this option did not work, then read the manual for the motherboard, perhaps, in your case, another button or combination is used.
Since BIOS on different motherboards can differ greatly from each other, it is impossible to give exact instructions for setting up, only general recommendations.
For BIOS type AMI, you need to go to the tab with the name "Advanced" with possible additions, for example, "Advanced BIOS Features" and find the item where it is possible to select a value that determines the amount of memory. In our case it is "UMA Frame Buffer Size"... Here we just select the desired size and save the settings with the key F10.
In UEFI BIOS, you must first enable advanced mode. Let's look at an example with the BIOS of an ASUS motherboard.
Using the onboard graphics core introduces decreased performance in games and applications that use the graphics card. At the same time, if the power of a discrete adapter is not required for everyday tasks, then the built-in video core may well become a free alternative to the latter.
You should not demand the impossible from integrated graphics and try to "overclock" it using drivers and other software. Remember that abnormal modes of operation can lead to inoperability of the chip or other components on the motherboard.
Video memory is one of the technical characteristics of a graphics card (video card). It stores the data that is required to display the image on the monitor. If the video memory is insufficient, the quality of graphics decreases and the broadcast may freeze or display incorrectly. To fix these problems, try increasing the amount of RAM on your graphics card. But this will not help to improve performance if there is insufficient bandwidth of the video card bus.
To figure out how to increase the video memory on a computer or laptop, let's find out which graphics card is installed in it. The type of adapter depends on how its volume is increased. Lightweight portable gadgets (netbooks, ultrabooks) usually have compact internal (integrated) video adapters. They are also used by manufacturers for budget laptops. The presence of such a board is evidenced by the joint arrangement of HDMI, LAN, USB connectors. Powerful gaming laptops and desktop PCs use external (discrete) graphics cards. They are massive and efficient and have their own cooling system. If the video memory of an integrated card is allocated using the “Shared memory” technology, then its volume is changed manually. In this case, the easiest way is to use the tools built into the operating system. Check if Catalyst Control Center is installed on your OS version. To do this, go to "Control Panel" → "Hardware and Sound", in the "Devices and Printers" section, select "Device Manager". It lists all devices connected to the computer. Information about the graphics card is located in the item "Video adapters". Some computer models have more than one video card. Right-click on the adapter you are interested in and select the "Properties" section from the drop-down menu. In the "Drivers" tab there is an item "Frame buffer" or "Frame buffer UMA". It sets the maximum amount of memory that will become available for the video card. If there is no frame buffer along the specified path, you will have to change the current UMA parameters. When you enter the basic I / O system, find the “Integrated devices” section, and in it the “BIOS VGA sharing memory” settings. The name may differ slightly depending on the BIOS version and computer model. Next, select the appropriate volume value. It is not recommended to set the maximum, try setting twice as much as the default. Then save the changes and exit the BIOS.
Be careful when changing the settings for the video card. Too high a load can damage it. Please note that the increase in the performance of the integrated video card comes at the expense of RAM. If it is not enough, the computer will slow down. An old discrete card is almost impossible to overclock. If your efforts have not led to satisfactory results, the obsolete components can only be replaced.
More and more modern programs and games place increased demands on computer hardware, in particular, to graphics adapters. Lack of video card memory leads to the fact that many applications not only freeze, but also do not start at all. And here the question arises of how to increase the amount of video memory, and whether it is possible to do this. Next, we will consider several options that allow, if not increase it, then at least use it in the most optimal way.
What is the role of video memory in the system
There is probably no need to say that the memory of a graphics adapter is very much like the main RAM of a computer system.
It is entrusted with practically the same functions of loading the main software components of programs and applications with the transfer of calculations to the graphics processor. It is clear that with a small volume, no matter how you try, you will not be able to load more than what it is designed for. Therefore, many games are not that malfunctioning, so sometimes they still do not work at all. But the problem of how to increase the video memory of a video card, as it turns out, is solved quite simply. True, this cannot be called an increase, since the size of the video memory does not physically change.
Determine the type of graphics adapter
Before looking for a solution to the problem and the answer to the question of how to increase the video memory, you need to decide on the type of graphics adapter installed in the system.
They are of two types: integrated (built into the motherboard) and discrete (inserted into special slots).
The visually integrated adapter can be identified by the presence of nearby HDMI, USB, LAN, etc.
You can get more detailed information in the "Device Manager" by calling it either from the "Control Panel" or from the "Run" console (Win + R) with the command devmgmt.msc.
However, the most complete data is contained in the DirectX dialog box, invoked from the Run menu with the dxdiag line. All information will be presented on the "Screen" tab. By the way, you can find out the main characteristics of integrated video adapters only in this way.
How to increase the video memory of discrete cards by improving performance
To begin with, let's consider the question of how to increase the video memory of a discrete video card. Ideally, of course, the easiest way is to buy a new one, but modern adapters are very expensive, so it's better to tune the available ones.
Based on the fact that today the market offers mainly NVIDIA and AMD / ATI chips, it is worth using the accompanying software that comes preinstalled when buying a PC or laptop.
Also for Windows systems in terms of improving performance, utilities like ATITool or MSI Afterburner are perfect, which allow you to gradually increase the clock speed of the GPU, leaving the memory indicator unchanged.
In addition, you can use programs like Catalyst, PhysX or Riva Tuner, which can optimize the memory of the video chip for use in certain games or other applications, freeing up resources.
Frame buffer settings
Now let's see how to increase the video memory on a laptop. Most of the modern budget models are equipped with integrated chips.
You can view the parameters of the allocated memory through the "Device Manager", where from the right-click menu you need to select properties and go to the "Drivers" tab. Here there is a line of parameters of the UMA frame buffer, where the required value is located. But there may not be such a point, so the question of how to increase the video memory should be solved by another method. How? BIOS settings that involve changing the allocated dynamic memory.
How to increase video memory due to the RAM (distributed) through the BIOS
In the primary I / O system, which is invoked by pressing certain keys, from shortcuts or special buttons, you need to find a section like Video RAM or Shared Memory.
How can I increase the video memory using these settings? To improve performance, the aperture parameter labeled AGP OverVoltage is changed. It should be remembered that the growth is calculated according to a certain formula. Let's take 16 MB of integrated adapter memory and 256 MB of main RAM as an example. The result will be 256 MB / (16 MB / 2) = 32 MB. And here is an interesting paradox. For 256 MB RAM and 64 MB adapter memory, the increase will be 256 MB / (64 MB / 2) = 8 MB.
In the VGA Shared Memory settings (aka UMA buffer), you need to set the required parameter, but it is not recommended to set the maximum value. The best option is to set a value that is only twice the default.
Is it worth doing this
Finally, it should be added that the question of how to increase the video memory by software without changing it physically is very conditional, because in the end we are only talking about the most effective use of it. In fact, it is somewhat similar to overclocking a graphics adapter. But, if you are already doing this, you need to be very careful, otherwise such actions can only lead to the fact that the card will fail. At the very least, you should not set the maximum possible peak values of any parameter, although graphics adapters, as well as any other devices, so to speak, have a certain margin of safety.
A video card is one of the most important devices in a computer, responsible for transmitting a video signal from the computer's hardware to a monitor. Due to it, the user can view the information that is processed in the depths of the system unit in a graphical format. Each video card has a certain power indicator, and we will talk about how to find out this parameter.
Computer graphic memory.
The main metric for a graphics adapter is the amount of memory built into it. This component is similar to the usual RAM for a computer. By the method of connection, this type of device is divided into:
- integrated (initially built into the motherboard or processor);
- discrete (connected to a special port on the motherboard).
Any software today has certain system requirements. The highest are inherent in video games. To work with certain graphics and video editors, you also need a productive computer hardware. The amount of video memory is also one of the most important criteria by which to determine the potential performance of applications and video games. Therefore, in order to determine, for example, before purchasing a game or installing certain software, whether it will function normally, it is necessary to determine how much video memory is in the computer. Next, let's look at some of the verification methods.
Through the properties of the video adapter
The easiest way to check this parameter is by entering the properties of the graphics adapter. Moreover, along the path of various menus, you can find out the resolution set for the monitor and its clock frequency. To do this, being on the desktop, you need to press RMB anywhere (not on icons) and select "Screen Resolution" (for Windows 7). You can learn more about how to get to the same menu in other versions on the Internet.
A window will appear in front of the user, which will provide detailed information about which monitor is connected and what screen resolution is set. Also from here you can adjust the orientation of the image and make changes to the sizes of fonts and other elements. As for the amount of video memory, to determine it, you need to go to the "Additional parameters" section.
In the window that opens, full information about the video adapter is presented. With correctly installed drivers for this device, in each of the lines that are visible in the screenshot, data will be written with information about the type of adapter chip, the type of video card (integrated in this case), the name of the adapter, as well as the maximum amount of graphics memory available to the user in necessary situations and how much is used by default.
Considering all of the above, you need to remember that a graphics card can be connected to a computer, but without installing drivers, it will be just a piece of hardware that will not function at full capacity.
Through the "Run" menu
You can also very quickly find out how much graphics memory is in your computer if you go to the Run menu, which can be found through the Start menu or by running the Win + R key combination. In the window that opens, enter - "msinfo32" (without quotes) into the line. Moreover, this method is universal for all versions of Windows popular today, starting with XP.
After the "OK" button is pressed or "Enter" is pressed, a window will appear in front of the user, in which it is necessary to select the "Components" -> "Display" tab in order to obtain detailed information about the image settings and the parameters of the video adapter.
Using the information provided in this article, the user can easily find out the amount of video memory in his graphics adapter. However, if there is a desire to replace this component of the computer, it is best to select it with the help of specialists. Very often situations arise that the newly purchased device is not compatible with the hardware part of the computer to which it is connected and, accordingly, this causes new expenses.
