??

hello444 · 08-25-2006, 08:18 PM

can someone tell me what exactly does "dynamically allocated shared" means? if a laptop has a video memory of 8MB to 128MB (dynamically allocated shared), could it handle a game like half-life 2, warcraft, or any games like that?? thanks!

**UncleMacro** · 08-25-2006, 08:31 PM

Run-of-the-mill integrated video doesn't have its own video RAM. It borrows RAM from the motherboard to use as video RAM. Most older integrated video chipsets allocate a fixed amount of motherboard RAM to use as video RAM. If you set them up to have 128MB of video RAM then that amount of RAM is always deducted from the available motherboard RAM whether the video RAM is in use or not. Dynamically allocating the video RAM means that it only borrows from the motherboard RAM when needed. Basically that means that when running in 3D mode it will usually take the amount of RAM specified (128MB being a standard value) and when it is running in 2D mode it will only take a little motherboard RAM like 8MB. 128MB is enough to run current games but not at their highest image quality. The limiting factor in running current games on a laptop is more likely to be the speed of the integrated GPU (graphics processing unit) because most integrated GPUs are pretty slow. There are some quick laptop GPUs but they are only used in fairly expensive laptops. 128MB would handle half-life 2 and WOW as long as you have a fairly quick GPU (for a laptop).

08-25-2006, 08:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
hello444 Registered User Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1 OS: XP	?? can someone tell me what exactly does "dynamically allocated shared" means? if a laptop has a video memory of 8MB to 128MB (dynamically allocated shared), could it handle a game like half-life 2, warcraft, or any games like that?? thanks!

08-25-2006, 08:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
UncleMacro TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,133 OS: Vista SP1 My System	Run-of-the-mill integrated video doesn't have its own video RAM. It borrows RAM from the motherboard to use as video RAM. Most older integrated video chipsets allocate a fixed amount of motherboard RAM to use as video RAM. If you set them up to have 128MB of video RAM then that amount of RAM is always deducted from the available motherboard RAM whether the video RAM is in use or not. Dynamically allocating the video RAM means that it only borrows from the motherboard RAM when needed. Basically that means that when running in 3D mode it will usually take the amount of RAM specified (128MB being a standard value) and when it is running in 2D mode it will only take a little motherboard RAM like 8MB. 128MB is enough to run current games but not at their highest image quality. The limiting factor in running current games on a laptop is more likely to be the speed of the integrated GPU (graphics processing unit) because most integrated GPUs are pretty slow. There are some quick laptop GPUs but they are only used in fairly expensive laptops. 128MB would handle half-life 2 and WOW as long as you have a fairly quick GPU (for a laptop).