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    Intel GMA 950 Shared Memory

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by mjpartyboy, May 9, 2006.

  1. mjpartyboy

    mjpartyboy Notebook Evangelist

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    I'm new to laptops/notebooks, my Dell Inspiron 6400 is due to arrive tonight, and I have a question about the shared memory of the GMA 950:

    Can we control how much memory the GMA 950 shares or does the system automatically configure this? On the home PC I can choose how much the integrated chip shares via the BIOS menus.
     
    mjpartyboy, May 9, 2006
    #1
  2. Notebook Solutions

    Notebook Solutions Company Representative NBR Reviewer

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    I thought it was possible with Dell notebooks... Some laptops support it, some don't... Maybe a 6400 owner will know...

    Charlie-Peru :)
     
    Notebook Solutions, May 9, 2006
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  3. Charles P. Jefferies

    Charles P. Jefferies Lead Moderator Super Moderator

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    It's dynamicall allocated. It won't just take a chunk out of your system memory, but rather take it as it needs.. The minimum it will use is 8MB, up to 128MB max.

    Chaz
     
    Charles P. Jefferies, May 9, 2006
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  4. Notebook Solutions

    Notebook Solutions Company Representative NBR Reviewer

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    What you say isnt always true Chaz mate...

    I have had a notebook that had a 855 video controller, you know that of a Dothan core. I could allocate the amount of video memory in the bios from 8 mb to 64 mb...

    That is why I doubted. Some notebooks support that.

    Charlie-Peru :)
     
    Notebook Solutions, May 9, 2006
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  5. Charles P. Jefferies

    Charles P. Jefferies Lead Moderator Super Moderator

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    Yeah, some do, but the 855 notebooks were the Intel Extreme Graphics ones - terrible graphics, and a lot of those took a bite of your system memory. Since then, the integrated Intel graphics chipsets have been improved, and most are dynamically allocated.

    Chaz
     
    Charles P. Jefferies, May 9, 2006
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  6. mjpartyboy

    mjpartyboy Notebook Evangelist

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    Thanks you two.

    I can't see any way of choosing what's shared in the 6400's BIOS menus, so I assume it's automatically allocated.
     
    mjpartyboy, May 13, 2006
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  7. prasys

    prasys Notebook Geek

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    its automatic , much like ATI HyperMemory Technology. When it needs , it would borrow from the RAM [i.e when playing games , watching DVDs].
     
    prasys, May 14, 2006
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  8. roro

    roro Notebook Enthusiast

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    isnt 224MB the max on the 950?
     
    roro, May 14, 2006
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  9. titaniummd

    titaniummd Notebook Deity

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    titaniummd, May 14, 2006
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  10. Jason

    Jason Overclocker NBR Reviewer

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    I think its 224MB's max on the Intel 950GMA. But I think that’s only If you have 1GB+ of RAM. Not too sure on this one...
     
    Jason, May 14, 2006
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  11. Charles P. Jefferies

    Charles P. Jefferies Lead Moderator Super Moderator

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    I've seen some GMA950 notebooks support 128MB and 224MB - the latter mostly in desktops, but also in some newer Duo notebooks. Either way, the performance difference is nil.
     
    Charles P. Jefferies, May 14, 2006
    #11