Video memory, very high or default?

[shuurajou 10]

Wow...setting the video memory back to default fixed all the problems I was having with my GTX295...slow texture loads and slow fps.....the only setting I hadn't tried lol....

I can see from your other posts you have 4GB RAM, so default I think has worked as intended for you.

If you have 4GB RAM it seems VRAM (Video RAM) autodetect works.

So... going through the logic.

You have a GTX 295. This card has more than 512MB video RAM, so you should use default video memory for best performance.

The default video memory setting relys on Arma 2's automatic VRAM detection entirely.

You have 4GB RAM so Arma 2's automatic VRAM detection works (if you had 8GB it likely would not), so, default has done the job it was meant to and now things are better for you :).

[datter 0]

When I limited my 8GB of system ram down to 6GB using the msconfig thing mentioned upthread, localvram was detected as 213mb, as opposed to 255mb when I have the full 8GB in place. I'm almost tempted to physically yank some ram out and run a true 6GB just to see how that affects the localvram detection. You'd think it would be the same as using the msconfig thing, but who knows. There is no way I'll go down to 4GB mind you, and I doubt I'd leave it at 6gb beyond a quick test.

[shuurajou 10]

When I limited my 8GB of system ram down to 6GB using the msconfig thing mentioned upthread, localvram was detected as 213mb, as opposed to 255mb when I have the full 8GB in place. I'm almost tempted to physically yank some ram out and run a true 6GB just to see how that affects the localvram detection. You'd think it would be the same as using the msconfig thing, but who knows. There is no way I'll go down to 4GB mind you, and I doubt I'd leave it at 6gb beyond a quick test.

It'd be worth trying 4GB I think. Just as a test :).

[datter 0]

Well I just pulled 2gb worth to get me down to 6gb actual. On restart ArmA2 detected my localvram at 207mb. When I limited myself to 6gb through the msconfig trick it thought I had 213mbs. With the full 8gb in place it thinks I have 255mb. I really don't think I have it in me to try again with 4gb. Not for awhile anyway. :P

It seems that I'd need 16gb of actual system ram for ArmA2 to find around 512mb of localvram, which makes no sense. All in all, I just hope BIS is listening and fixes this... though at this point they likely won't just to piss me off. ;)

[Wolfstriked 11]

My game abruptly closes and I am at desktop when I set my video memory from very high to default.GTX480 is my card and I wonder why this is happening.Anyone knows?

[slickric21 10]

Just stumbled across this thread.

I started my own here http://forums.bistudio.com/showthread.php?t=103145

Because i'm having the problem of the game not auto detecting my VRAM properly.

Running Win7 x64 with 8gb of RAM and a gpu with 2gb VRAM.

No matter what I do the amount of localVRAM detected is always about 512mb and nonelocalVRAM the same.

:(

[5133p39 14]

I find it strange, that people with a 1GB card have the localVRAM automatically set to 1067937792 (seems like correct value for 1GB),

but for my dual GPU it is automatically set to 2111143936.

Shouldn't it be still set to 1GB? (because each GPU can use only 1GB of memory).

I feel confused, how is it then?

[Flubadoo 10]

You don't want to be using 'shared' memory. Because it'snot nearly as fast as Vram.

How do I switch over to dedicated? On dxdiag, it says I have 3gigs of Vram, which is weird, since my GTX 260M is only a 1gig Vram card.

[[general nuisance] 0]

Here's my exact 295 GTX model:

GX-295N-HHFF

My memory is rated at 1792 MB. Currently my in-game memory setting is set to very high. Should I stick it to high/default? Do I need to alter anything in the CFG file?

[-=seany=- 5]

Pretty much same card and mem amount here. I use Default as I used to find the game crashed more when I used Very High. Although I haven't tested it in ages. You shouldn't need to touch anything in your .cfg

[Hanzu 10]

Blunt;1402127']

I just found this on the BI wiki:

Texture detail

Very low

Low

Normal - for graphics card with 256 MB physical memory

High -

Very High - for graphics card with 512 MB physical memory

Default - this setting is designed to fully utilize graphics card with over 512 MB and any other card with unusual size of installed memory.

You failed to mention your source from ArmA(1): http://community.bistudio.com/wiki/ArmA:_Tweaking_Tips

Those ArmA tips look like very unreliable source to help with setting up ArmA 2 series video memory routines which has been very likely changed a lot by now with all that patching and with all that operating systems and hardware development happened ever since.

So have many people gone wrong here now when they set their Video Memory setting to Default or is there any reliable source what should be set when you graphics card has 1GB?

And what should be set if you have more than 1GB?

Edited January 14, 2011 by Hanzu

[Vipera 10]

And what should be set if you have more than 1GB?[/b]

I have video card with 2Gb on board. Default works best for me with the latest beta patch. I see LOD switching problems and low textures loading when I change to Very High. So, try to set to Default and use the last beta patch.

[Hanzu 10]

Thanks Vipera, good to know! I use latest beta practically always when I play, but I only have 1GB.

How about someone with 1GB display adapter like me. What do you use?

[ast65 10]

I have video card with 2Gb on board. Default works best for me with the latest beta patch. I see LOD switching problems and low textures loading when I change to Very High. So, try to set to Default and use the last beta patch.

I have a 5850 1gb and it´s quite the same, default works best.

[scorpio17523 10]

Just to add to this... I have a GTX590 with 3GB and I always assumed having this setting on Very High would be the best for my card... After reading this I thought I would try it... WOW what a performance boost plus visuals actually seem a little better too. Thanks guys :)

[kremator 1065]

I run a 512 mb card on very high and have not had problems.

[tarabas 10]

can we have an official word what default means?

I have 1.3 GB GTX 470, so high or default?

[nikiforos 450]

I have 1.3 gb GTX 570 and run on default Im not sure what is best for my card. Default or very high?

[JeProject 10]

There's a reason modern GPU's come with GDDR5 VRAM, it's actually fast enough to do the job.

Sorry for necroposting but I'm getting glitches and arrived here from google.

[frequence 1]

As far as i know "Default" uses the value Arma detects at first start, so this would be the best to use since it matches the VRAM value of your card.

[iceman77 18]

If you have a card with over 512MB Vram, always use DEFAULT. If you're having problems with blurry shitty textures at times, this is probably the reason. DEFAULT lets the 512+ cards take advantage, so using anything but that and you're wasting resources. Period.

[dukenukem. 12]

I have tried Default vs Very high for my card HD6950 2GB.

Default i have nice framerates and good detail no blurry textures, popping textures etc. but after awhile once my VRAM is finished (out of memory) my game crashes to desktop or has the black "receiving" screen and i have to kill the game manually. i use the -maxVRAM=2047 parameter still no dice.

Very high i get not so nice framerates and sometimes blurry textures but i can play the game for >2hrs no crashing. But i only utilize ~800mb of video memory... grrrr...

[kklownboy 43]

So your Display, and ingame settings are too high for your 2GB card. A 3GB+ card would not have this issue.

[dukenukem. 12]

So what i should do is put video memory back to default, and adjust my settings until they do not use more than 2GB of video memory?

Will try to test that out.. thanks for idea

[kklownboy 43]

Well your Max VRAM is set to the max. You could set it to 1.5+(1.75) instead so you have some head room when you go to a 2D menu, or alt-tab to desktop etc. Also when that much VRAM being cached on your HDD? it may slow down and hickup? Not sure if you have a SSD or not. But they are helpfull. -maxVRAM=1792

Edited February 20, 2013 by kklownboy