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Video RAM CS2, Help!

photoflowphotoflow Registered Users Posts: 2 Beginner grinner
edited October 10, 2006 in Digital Darkroom
Greetings.. how much video/graphics RAM (VRAM) should I really have to make CS2 run like the wind? Is 128MB enough or should I go by Adobe's suggestion and kick it up to 256MB? I'm using a new iMac 20, w/2BG RAM. Thanks for your replies!

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    David_S85David_S85 Administrators Posts: 13,199 moderator
    edited October 8, 2006
    Most all quality video cards now come with 256 and are priced at $100 or a little less. 512 would be a hedge against future advancements, but since you're editing static content (pictures and not video), 256 should be sufficient.

    I'm running 256 and it can easily run a screen at 24-bit 1920 x 1200 res. and never had a problem. 128 would have probably been enough, but memory is cheap enough to just bump it up a notch.
    My Smugmug
    "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
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    DudeXDudeX Registered Users Posts: 13 Big grins
    edited October 8, 2006
    As of today, Video ram is only good for gamers, and perhaps video applications on high resolution monitors.

    Games need video ram to load high resolution textures (pictures) and video applications use the ram to store future frames in memory.

    Adobe's software (and Apple's software) seem to rely on the basic hardware for screen output, and mainly system memory for all processing and storage.

    In the future that might change if software gets written to take advantage of 3d cards advanced number crutching capabilties, or even to map images using hardware accelerated 3D libraries (OpenGL or DirectX3D)
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    wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited October 8, 2006
    Good stuff, dudeX, thanks.

    Another thing to consider if how well the graphics card supports two monitors.
    Sid.
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    SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited October 10, 2006
    wxwax wrote:
    Good stuff, dudeX, thanks.

    Another thing to consider if how well the graphics card supports two monitors.

    I just upgraded the card in my PowerMac G4 for this very reason, well that and video editing and dvd playback. The ATi Radeon 9800 Pro Mac Edition went in to replace the Nvidia GeForce 4 ti that was the cats meow when I built it. So far I'm very impressed with the card. Only hitch was that I needed a DVI to ADC convertor and they are tough to come by without paying the $100 Apple wants for them.
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