Will more RAM help me screen span?

mig.gentry · mig.gentry #1 (**permalink**)

12-19-2005, 06:26 AM

Hey

I've just ordered a 19" Widescreen LCD to use with my iBook and have been reading how the VRAM gets split between the two monitors.

Firstly is 16MB VRAM enough to drive a 19" LCD well (1440x900),

and Secondly will upping my RAM help this out. I have 768 now but would like to go to 1.25GB if it would help me run two displays.

Thanks
M

Aptmunich · Aptmunich #2 (**permalink**)

12-19-2005, 07:11 AM

No: VRAM is separate from regular RAM - it's RAM dedicated to your video card (hence the 'V').

You should be alright with that setup though.

DigitalN. · DigitalN. #3 (**permalink**)

12-19-2005, 10:48 AM

I dunno, it still is kind of laggy when I hook my 17" LCD up to my 14" iBook with 32MB of RAM, but only when I bring up the dashboard and do an expose or any sort of effect

D3v1L80Y · D3v1L80Y #4 (**permalink**)

12-19-2005, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigitalN.

I dunno, it still is kind of laggy when I hook my 17" LCD up to my 14" iBook with 32MB of RAM, but only when I bring up the dashboard and do an expose or any sort of effect

That is because when you span screens, the VRAM is split in half. Thereby leaving only 16MB of VRAM to drive each display.

DigitalN. · DigitalN. #5 (**permalink**)

12-19-2005, 04:32 PM

it would be nice to have that not happen.

Aptmunich · Aptmunich #6 (**permalink**)

12-19-2005, 04:44 PM

You can: it's called mirrored monitor mode

Think about it: Twice the amount of pixels, twice the amount of effects, windows, text etc. It just HAS to have a 50% performance hit.

Aptmunich #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 09, 2004 Location: Munich Posts: 9,075 Mac Specs: Aluminium Macbook 2.4 Ghz 4GB RAM, SSD 24" Samsung Display, iPhone 4, iPad 2	12-19-2005, 07:11 AM No: VRAM is separate from regular RAM - it's RAM dedicated to your video card (hence the 'V'). You should be alright with that setup though. Mac-Forums Twitter \| Mac-Forums Blog My Twitter \| Jetplane Journal
	QUOTE Thanks

Aptmunich #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 09, 2004 Location: Munich Posts: 9,075 Mac Specs: Aluminium Macbook 2.4 Ghz 4GB RAM, SSD 24" Samsung Display, iPhone 4, iPad 2	12-19-2005, 04:44 PM You can: it's called mirrored monitor mode Think about it: Twice the amount of pixels, twice the amount of effects, windows, text etc. It just HAS to have a 50% performance hit. Mac-Forums Twitter \| Mac-Forums Blog My Twitter \| Jetplane Journal
	QUOTE Thanks

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mig.gentry #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Aug 12, 2004 Location: London, UK Posts: 251	12-19-2005, 06:26 AM Hey I've just ordered a 19" Widescreen LCD to use with my iBook and have been reading how the VRAM gets split between the two monitors. Firstly is 16MB VRAM enough to drive a 19" LCD well (1440x900), and Secondly will upping my RAM help this out. I have 768 now but would like to go to 1.25GB if it would help me run two displays. Thanks M
	QUOTE Thanks

DigitalN. #5 (permalink)
Guest Posts: n/a	12-19-2005, 04:32 PM it would be nice to have that not happen.
	QUOTE Thanks

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