When Should You Use Shared GPU Memory?
The shared GPU memory feature can be beneficial in some scenarios, especially if you have a graphics card with limited VRAM, or if you’re running games or graphics applications that are very demanding. In these cases, this feature can help you improve performance and graphics quality, by reducing the chances of a VRAM bottleneck.
However, this feature also has some drawbacks and limitations that you need to know before using it. Here are some of them:
- First, the shared GPU memory feature cannot increase the actual amount of VRAM installed on the graphics card. This feature can only use RAM as an additional memory source, which is not as fast or as bandwidth as VRAM. Therefore, this feature cannot replace the actual VRAM, but rather only as a temporary or emergency solution.
- Second, shared GPU memory features can affect performance and graphics quality, depending on how often and how much graphics data are moved between VRAM and RAM. The memory swapping process can be time and resource-consuming, which can lead to decreased performance and graphics quality, such as lag, stuttering, or artifacts. Therefore, this feature is best used as a last resort, if VRAM isn’t enough.
- Third, shared GPU memory features can affect overall system performance and quality, depending on how much RAM is being used by the GPU. If the GPU uses too much RAM, it can reduce the amount of RAM available to the CPU and other applications. This can cause a decrease in overall system performance and quality, such as lag, crashes, or blue screens. Therefore, this feature should be used wisely, and not exceed the limits set by the operating system or graphics card.
How to Enable or Disable Shared GPU Memory?
The shared GPU memory feature is usually enabled automatically by the operating system or graphics card driver, depending on memory requirements and availability. You do not need to manually enable or disable this feature unless you want to change the settings or preferences associated with this feature.
Here are some ways to enable or disable shared GPU memory, or change settings related to this feature:
- First, you can use Task Manager to monitor GPU memory usage by GPU. To do this, you can open the Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc, then click the Performance tab, and select GPU. Here, you can see various statistics about GPUs, including Dedicated GPU memory, Shared GPU memory, and GPU memory usage. Dedicated GPU memory is the amount of VRAM installed on the graphics card. Shared GPU memory is the amount of RAM used by the GPU besides or reserved for VRAM. GPU memory usage is the total amount of memory used by the GPU, both VRAM and RAM. You can use this information to find out how much shared GPU memory is being used by the GPU, and whether it affects graphics or system performance and quality.
- Second, you can use NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Software to change settings related to shared GPU memory. To do this, you can open the NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Software by right-clicking on the desktop, then select NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Radeon Software. Here, you can change some settings that can affect the use of shared GPU memory by the GPU, such as Texture Quality, Anisotropic Filtering, Anti-Aliasing, and others. The higher the graphics setting, the more graphics data is required by the GPU, which can increase the use of shared GPU memory. Therefore, you can try to lower the graphics settings, if you want to reduce the use of shared GPU memory by the GPU, or improve performance and graphics quality.
- Third, you can use Windows Settings to change settings related to shared GPU memory. To do this, you can open Windows Settings by pressing Windows+I, then click System, and select Display. Here, you can change some settings that can affect the use of shared GPU memory by the GPU, such as Resolution, Scale and layout, Graphics settings, and others. In general, the higher the resolution or scale of the screen, the more graphics data is required by the GPU, which can increase the use of shared GPU memory. Therefore, you can try to lower the resolution or scale of the screen, if you want to reduce the use of shared GPU memory by the GPU, or improve performance and graphics quality.