Video random-access memory: Difference between revisions

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{{shortShort description|Type of dedicated computer memory}}

{{Redirect2|Video RAM|VRAM|the dual-ported dynamic RAM type|Dual-ported video RAM}}

[[File:GDDR5X 1080ti.jpg|thumb|[[GDDR SDRAM|GDDR5X SDRAM]] on an NVIDIA GeForce [[GTX 1080 Ti]] graphics card]]

'''Video random -access memory''' ('''VRAM''') is dedicated [[computer memory]] used to store the [[pixel]]s and other graphics data as a [[framebuffer]] to be rendered on a computer monitor.<ref>{{cite book|title=Computer Graphics: Principles and Practice|last1=Foley|first1=James D. |last2=van Dam|first2=Andries|last3=Feiner|first3=Steven K.|last4=Hughes|first4=John F.|publisher=[[Addison-Wesley]]|year=1997|isbn=0-201-84840-6|page=859|url=https://wwwbooks.google.com/books/edition/Computer_Graphics/?id=-4ngT05gmAQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=vram&pg=PA892&printsec=frontcover}}</ref> This isIt often uses a different technology than other computer memory, toin facilitate being read rapidlyorder to draw the image. In some systems this memory cannot be read/written usingquickly thefor samedisplay methodson asa normal memory; it is not [[memory mapped]]screen.

==Relation Descriptionto GPUs==

{{Multiple image

|image1=Desktop computer bus bandwidths.svg

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[[File:Nvidia@8nm@Ampere@GA102@GeForce RTX 3090@S TW 2032A1 SNNB9W.000 GA102-300-A1 DSC06025-DSC06107 (50740715646).jpg|thumb|A [[GPU]] die surrounded by VRAM chips]]

WhileMany amodern computerGPUs hasrely systemon [[RAM]],VRAM. mostIn contemporarycontrast, graphicsa cardsGPU havethat accessdoes to''not'' ause dedicatedVRAM, setand ofrelies memoryinstead knownon assystem VRAM. In contrastRAM, ais GPUsaid whichto shares system memory hashave a [[Unifiedunified Memorymemory Architecturearchitecture]], or [[shared graphics memory]].

System RAM and VRAM hashave been segregated due to the bandwidth requirements of GPUs,<ref>{{Cite web|title=What is VRAM: The Memory Power Behind Real-time Ray-Tracing|url=https://digitaladvisor.com/graphics-cards/what-is-vram/|access-date=2022-05-16|archive-date=2022-05-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522170614/https://digitaladvisor.com/graphics-cards/what-is-vram/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://itigic.com/relationship-between-ram-and-vram-bandwidth-and-their-latency/|title=Relationship Between RAM and VRAM Bandwidth and Their Latency|date=17 May 2021 }}</ref> and to achieve lower latency, since VRAM is physically closer to the GPU die.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.makeuseof.com/ram-vs-vram-differences/|title=RAM vs. VRAM: What's the Difference?|website=makeuseof.com|date=16 July 2021 }}</ref>

Modern VRAM is typically found in a [[Ball grid array|BGA package]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Encapsulated in CPUs, GPUs, RAM and Flash: Types and Uses|date=23 March 2021 |url=https://itigic.com/encapsulated-in-cpus-gpus-ram-and-flash-types-and-uses/}}</ref> soldered onto thea graphics card.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://graphicscardhub.com/graphics-card-component-connectors/|title=Graphics Card Components & Connectors Explained|date=29 March 2017 }}</ref> LikeThe theVRAM GPUis itself,cooled thealong VRAMwith isthe cooledGPU by the GPU heatsink.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://graphicscardhub.com/graphics-card-cooling-solutions/|title=Different Types of Graphics Card Cooling Solutions for GPU, VRAM & VRM|date=17 January 2017 }}</ref>

== Technologies ==

* [[Dual-ported video RAM]], used in the 1990s and at the time often called "VRAM"

* [[SGRAM]]

* [[Video RAM (dual-ported DRAM)]], a specific technology used in the 1980s

* [[GDDR SDRAM]]

* [[High Bandwidth Memory]] (HBM)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wwwgpus.techdimaxiomgaming.comnet/vramvideo-vs-rammemory/HBM|title=VRAMHBM vsGraphics RAMCards {{!}}- Differences7 &GPUs Applicationswith HBM Memory|website=TechDimAxiom Gaming|date=16 August 2025 }}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Graphics processing unit]]

* [[Tiled rendering]], a method to reduce VRAM bandwidth requirements<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://developer.samsung.com/galaxy-gamedev/resources/articles/gpu-framebuffer.html|title=GPU Framebuffer Memory: Understanding Tiling}}</ref>

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[[Category:Types of RAM]]

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