[ The PC Guide | Troubleshooting and Repair Guide | The Troubleshooting Expert | Troubleshooting Specific Components | Troubleshooting Video Cards | Performance or Video Mode Issues ] I added more video memory to the video card but system performance seems unchanged, why didn't it increase? Explanation: Additional video memory was added to the video card, but performance (measured subjectively or through benchmarks) did not improve. Diagnosis: This is normal. The memory on a conventional video card is not used for holding programs or data in the way that the regular system memory is. The amount of video memory does not affect the performance of the video card in the way that the amount of system memory affects overall system performance (with one exception--some 64-bit video cards offer improved performance when configured with 2 MB of memory instead of 1 MB because this allows them to access the memory 64 bits at a time instead of 32 bits at a time). The video memory holds the frame buffer which contains the visible image displayed on the screen. Adding additional video memory allows you to display a higher resolution image or one that has a greater color depth but does not improve performance of the video card itself. Recommendation: No action required. If you are trying to improve the video performance of your system, you will generally need to purchase a better video card. You may also find some relevant performance improvement tips in the System Optimization Guide.
|