Video random-access memory: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:12, 1 October 2023

Revision as of 06:31, 1 October 2023

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[[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 typically used to store graphics data (such as [[framebuffer|framebuffers]]) for a [[GPU]].<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://books.google.com/books?id=-4ngT05gmAQC&dq=vram&pg=PA892}}</ref> VRAM differs technologically from other [[RAM]], as VRAM is optimized for being read rapidly to draw images.

==Relation to GPUs==

==Description==

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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]]

Most contemporarymodern GPUs haverely dedicatedon VRAM. (In contrast, a GPU which does *not* use VRAM, and relies oninstead sharingon system RAM, is said to have a [[Unified Memory Architecture]], or [[shared graphics memory]].)

System RAM and VRAM have 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/}}</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}}</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}}</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|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}}</ref> The VRAM is cooled along with the GPU 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}}</ref>

==Technologies==