How to Check Your VRAM
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These instructions and screenshots are for Windows 11 but the process is near identical in Windows 10. On the Windows search bar, type Settings. Click Display. Click Advanced Display. Click Display Adapter Properties for Display 1. If you have multiple displays and graphics cards, you may wish to check others. Next to Dedicated Video Memory, you'll be told how much VRAM your graphics card has.
If you plan on playing the latest games, you may struggle to be able to play them at anything above minimum quality. Some games will struggle to run at all with less than 8 GB of VRAM. It all depends on what games you plan on playing with older games or titles like Fortnite or Final Fantasy XIV more likely to scale appropriately with the hardware you have.
Video editors typically require a minimum of 8 GB of VRAM to be able to edit videos effectively. However, for general usage such as typing up documents or browsing the internet, no specific VRAM is required so you don't need to consider upgrading to a different graphics card.
FAQ How much VRAM is enough? 4GB of VRAM is the bare minimum for playing games at 1080p, with 6GB or more necessary in many cases. Generally, the more VRAM, the better. Video editors should have at least 8GB; 12GB or 16GB typically the ideal number. If you don't plan on playing games or editing videos, however, there's no required minimum VRAM involved. How do I increase VRAM? To allocate more VRAM in Windows, you can do one of two things. The first option is to enter BIOS according to your computer's manufacturer instructions, and then go to Advanced Features > Graphics Settings > VRAM Size (these options may have other names in your system). You can also make some changes to the system registry, but that option is riskier and may damage your installation of Windows. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire What is VRAM? How to Buy a Graphics Card How to Increase VRAM on your Windows PC Windows Vista: Release Date, Editions, Licenses, etc. How to Find Out What Graphics Card You Have on a Windows 11 Computer What To Look For in a Gaming Laptop What to Look For in a Gaming PC 8 Things to Consider Before Buying a Desktop PC How to Use BlueStacks to Run Android Apps on Windows How to Overclock a GPU for Epic Gaming How Much Video Can You Record on an iPhone? Can I Upgrade or Downgrade to Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6)? Windows 7: Editions, Service Packs, Licenses, and More Windows 8: Editions, Updates, Licenses, & More Beginner's Guide to PC Gaming What Is a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)? Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies
How to Check Your VRAM
You need this information for gaming, video editing, and more
By Jennifer Allen Jennifer Allen Writer Swansea University, Staffordshire University Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Published on May 6, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share EmailIn This Article
Expand Jump to a Section Check VRAM on Windows Check VRAM in More Than One GPU in Windows How to Check VRAM in macOS Is 4 GB of VRAM Enough Is 128 MB VRAM Good Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat to Know
On Windows, check VRAM by going to Settings > Display > Advanced Display > Display AdapterOn Mac, click Apple Icon > About This Mac > See the figure next to the graphics card name.4GB is the minimum VRAM gamers need while 8GB or more is best for video editors. This article teaches you how to check how much VRAM you have on your computer. It also looks at what that means and how it affects the performance of your system.How to Check VRAM on Windows
Checking your VRAM in Windows is simple but only if you know where to look. The details are often hidden away. Here's how to check VRAM on Windows.These instructions and screenshots are for Windows 11 but the process is near identical in Windows 10. On the Windows search bar, type Settings. Click Display. Click Advanced Display. Click Display Adapter Properties for Display 1. If you have multiple displays and graphics cards, you may wish to check others. Next to Dedicated Video Memory, you'll be told how much VRAM your graphics card has.
How to Check VRAM in More Than One GPU in Windows
If you have more than one GPU on your computer, a better way of checking VRAM is by using dxdiag. Here's where to look. On the Windows search bar, type dxdiag. Wait for it to open then click either Display 1 or Display 2 to view your other GPU. Under Display Memory, you'll be able to see how much dedicated VRAM the GPU has.How to Check VRAM in macOS
On a Mac-based system, checking VRAM is slightly different. Here's what to do. On your Mac, click the Apple icon in the top left corner of your desktop. Click About This Mac. Next to Graphics will be the name of the graphics card followed by how much VRAM it has. If you're using an M1-based MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, this will not be displayed and it's not possible to view how much VRAM is available as it is all built into the CPU/GPU. For more information, click System Report. Click Graphics/Display. Alongside VRAM will be listed how much VRAM is available.Is 4 GB of VRAM Enough
Whether you need 4 GB of VRAM or more depends on what you plan on doing with your PC or Mac.If you plan on playing the latest games, you may struggle to be able to play them at anything above minimum quality. Some games will struggle to run at all with less than 8 GB of VRAM. It all depends on what games you plan on playing with older games or titles like Fortnite or Final Fantasy XIV more likely to scale appropriately with the hardware you have.
Video editors typically require a minimum of 8 GB of VRAM to be able to edit videos effectively. However, for general usage such as typing up documents or browsing the internet, no specific VRAM is required so you don't need to consider upgrading to a different graphics card.
Is 128 MB VRAM Good
No. 128 MB is very low compared to modern graphics cards and their capabilities. If you plan on playing games or editing videos, you need something with 4 GB as a very minimum although 8 GB is much preferable.FAQ How much VRAM is enough? 4GB of VRAM is the bare minimum for playing games at 1080p, with 6GB or more necessary in many cases. Generally, the more VRAM, the better. Video editors should have at least 8GB; 12GB or 16GB typically the ideal number. If you don't plan on playing games or editing videos, however, there's no required minimum VRAM involved. How do I increase VRAM? To allocate more VRAM in Windows, you can do one of two things. The first option is to enter BIOS according to your computer's manufacturer instructions, and then go to Advanced Features > Graphics Settings > VRAM Size (these options may have other names in your system). You can also make some changes to the system registry, but that option is riskier and may damage your installation of Windows. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire What is VRAM? How to Buy a Graphics Card How to Increase VRAM on your Windows PC Windows Vista: Release Date, Editions, Licenses, etc. How to Find Out What Graphics Card You Have on a Windows 11 Computer What To Look For in a Gaming Laptop What to Look For in a Gaming PC 8 Things to Consider Before Buying a Desktop PC How to Use BlueStacks to Run Android Apps on Windows How to Overclock a GPU for Epic Gaming How Much Video Can You Record on an iPhone? Can I Upgrade or Downgrade to Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6)? Windows 7: Editions, Service Packs, Licenses, and More Windows 8: Editions, Updates, Licenses, & More Beginner's Guide to PC Gaming What Is a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)? Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies