VRAM Explanation Please?

NOOB question here..

I'm looking over the hardware requirements for Photoshop, and it says 1gb VRAM. Can someone please tell me what VRAM is? My laptop has a 2gb GPU - so does that translate to 2gb VRAM? Or is VRAM something separate from my GPU?

Thank you!

 

It's memory for your GPU, kinda like how system RAM is memory for your CPU. What GPU do you have?

 

Thank you octoceps.The GPU is AMD Radeon r9 m275 2gb


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Yeah that GPU has 2GB VRAM.

 

It's more than you want to know, but you can check the guide in my signature for about all you'd ever need to know about vRAM.

 

You should be fine.. 2GB will be plenty... also what CPU are you getting? What laptop are u getting in essence?

 

Your AMD Radeon graphics card will work perfectly fine for Photoshop. Photoshop is not GPU reliant; even integrated Intel graphics support all of the technologies it uses. See Adobe's GPU FAQ here.

The CPU and RAM are much more important. A quad-core i7 and 8-16GB of RAM would be today's definition of ideal.

 

Thank you for your help Charles, much appreciated. My CPU is not quad core though, this may be a problem? It's Intel 5500U.

Also, do you happen to know if I can run a monitor at 1440p with that GPU?


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Thank you TomJGX, the CPU is Intel 5500U. The laptop is Lenovo Y40-80. Has 8gb ram


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You can use multiquote and/or edit posts if you want to reply to multiple people at once, Chunkysoup. As for pure photoshop? The 5500U should be fine. I know not if 1440p could work on it. If you were doing video editing I would have suggested a stronger machine.

 

I use Photoshop CS5E to edit ~18MB RAW files on my notebook which has a CPU about half as fast as the Core i7-5500U you mentioned. For the processing I do, it works fine with minimal delays applying filters and so on. Takes a good 8-10s to open the files though. Bulk RAW processing is where a quad-core CPU would come into play e.g. processing hundreds of RAW files at a time.

 

This is perfect, thanks Charles. I'm by no means a pro photographer, just enjoy minimal processing in Photoshop. And no video work. So I think I'll be fine.

Thank you Ultima, this is helpful info.

So I'm still having a difficult time learning what type of external monitor to get for use with my laptop. The GPU is an AMD R9 M275, and the video out will be a HDMI 1.4 port. Ideally I'd like to run a monitor at 2560x1440, but I'm not sure if my system will drive that resolution?



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Nope, DisplayPort or dual-link DVI needed.

 

Thank you opticeps; can you briefly explain why that is? Is the limitation my HDMI 1.4 port, or the GPU? I'm hoping that it'll drive 1080p?


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HDMI is your limitation. 1080p is fine.

 

No, not true. HDMI can support up to 4K resolution.

See:
HDMI :: Manufacturer :: HDMI 1.4 :: 4K Support

 

At 30 Hz...

 

Doesn't matter if it's 30Hz - Photoshop is not a video editor.

Photoshop at 4K will still look great.

 

Everything looks awful at 30 Hz. Since Windows is V-Synced due to DWM, there's noticeable visual judder everywhere, whether it's animations or window manipulation or even just moving the cursor around. If you're on Windows 7 and you disable Aero, get ready for retina-searing levels of screen tear.

And it feels awful, too. The mouse lag is unbearable, it's like dragging your cursor through molasses.

 

Thank you tilleroftheearth; I've seen these specs as well. For photo editing, I'm thinking that a lower refresh rate will be ok. I've never seen a screen perform at 30Hz though, to be honest. I'm wondering what refresh rate it will achieve at 2560x1440? Will it be closer to 30Hz, or 60Hz?
My monitor is 1440p so 4K isn't an issue.

Thanks octiceps. Would you happen to know the refresh rate on HDMI 1.4 @ 2560x1440?


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Like I said before, you need DisplayPort or dual-link DVI. There are no HDMI 1440p monitors. And even if you did somehow get one to work, you'd be limited to 1080p at best, therefore wasting it.

 

Thank you. So if my laptop has neither DisplayPort or dual-link DVI, am I out of luck? Or could there be a work-around?


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Pretty much. Unless you want to risk it with an HDMI to DisplayPort/dual-link DVI adapter cable and one of the workarounds here. But you're entirely on your own with that, and there's no telling which one of them will work, or if it'll work at all. Basically, nothing is guaranteed except that you will not be getting full 60Hz at 1440p even in the best-case scenario.

 

Thanks again octiceps. Perhaps I shouldn't have began asking questions, because I'm only getting more confused. I can't imagine how many people purchase components that don't perform as they expect?!

So if you'd be willing to share a bit more of your time and knowledge; in the article that you linked to, it explains that increasing resolution via HDMI is possible due to new drivers from intel in 4th and 5th gen on-board graphics. In my case, since I have a dedicated GPU, would it be my on-board intel 5500 graphics that drive the external monitor, or my GPU that drives the monitor?

I ask because if the external monitor display is driven by the intel 5500 on my CPU, then the increased resolution as explained in that article could work at 50Hz or 55Hz. But if the monitor display is driven by my AMD GPU, then that is another puzzle for me to figure out.

In the end of the day, to simplify things, I may just go with a 1080p monitor. I originally wanted a 27", but at this resolution may be better for me to go with a 24" instead.

 

No, you're wrong again.

See:
Asus PB278Q 27in Widescreen LED LCD, Black w/ HAS, Speakers, HDMI, DisplayPort at Memory Express

 

chunkysoup,

I suggest keep asking questions, buy what you hope will work with the knowledge you gain and if it doesn't work with the specific combination of components you have, simple return the ones that fail to meet your expectations.

You may find that 30Hz refresh rates really are a letdown for you in your workflows. We know that octiceps wouldn't live with that setup for a second. But until you try, you won't know.

And the official specifications don't mean too much either after a while. Many platforms are still spec'd at 4GB max RAM capacity, for example, yet - they work with 8GB and even 16GB capacities for some combinations of components.

That link above for a 27" 1440p IPS (PLS actually) panel with all those connection options is a good deal at that price and seems to perform well for at least a few people too.

 

Interesting tilleroftheearth.. So monitors do exist that can support native resolution of 1440p via HDMI! This is great info.

Both my laptop HDMI out and this monitor HDMI in are HDMI 1.4

So I wonder what would be the refresh rate running 1440p through my HDMI cord? Would it depend on the cord that is used?


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Yes, it will depend on the cable. But not which HDMI cable, rather, which cable period (DL DVI, DP, or HDMI, etc.).

Most likely, it will run at 30Hz refresh rate, but again, if you can test it in your workflow - that is the only criteria you'll need to see if it is good enough (for now).

 

Thank you again tilleroftheearth, this is very helpful for me. It's been very difficult and taken several hours for me to understand the purchases that I'll make in conjunction with my laptop. The tech makers certainly don't make things easy to understand. I like the specs on this Asus monitor, it may be the one for me. I'm curious to know what other monitors support 1440p native resolution via HDMI. I don't even know where to begin with my search for that, except for reading through the specs of each individual monitor. Could take a while...

 

Like I said, you're on your own. Sorry I can't be of more help.

No, you are. Or more precisely, that description is. It tops out at 1080p over HDMI.

 

octiceps,

I'll have to take your word for it for now. Is nobody else experienced with this issue? Nobody?

 

Not very many people are trying to run 1440p over HDMI, that's for sure.

 

It apparently is possible, depending on your GPU, to run 1440p over HDMI if you create a custom resolution in your display driver control panel. The main issue seems to be the fact that, more often than not, it will run at less than 60 Hz.

2560x1440 or 2560x1600 via HDMI - NotebookCheck.net Tech

 

And that is with a two generation old igpu too (right?).