What is Dynamic Memory?

[npoe1]

I'm kind of confused of what is it and what it means to me as gamer? I read this description and I didn't really got a good hold of it: http://tinyvga.com/faq/graphics-cards/what-is-the-difference-between-vram-and-dram


Basically:
How much does a video card has of that Dynamic Memory?
Is that counted in the VRAM number? Example, a card is reported with 8 GB of VRAM and how much of Dynamic Memory?

I started to wonder about it after using GPU-Z while playing Forza 6 APEX and basically looks like it uses 1100 MB of Dynamic Memory for whatever it needs to.

I won't mind if someone gives me a long complex explanation that might generate more questions.

Thanks,

 

[Carfax83]

Dynamic memory? You mean DRAM? DRAM is just the RAM that's used in computers for the main system memory. VRAM is a specific type of DRAM with much higher bandwidth that is used by graphics cards for storing graphics related data such as textures, shaders, geometry data etcetera..

As far as the relation between them, the RAM in your PC is used to buffer the VRAM. In other words, the graphics data is first loaded into system RAM from storage, and then from there it's copied into VRAM over the PCIe bus... The graphics card however never reads or writes directly to system RAM (unless it has no VRAM at all), as system RAM lacks the bandwidth necessary to properly feed a GPU.

So system RAM provides VRAM with all the data the GPU requires, plus acts as the main memory for the CPU. Whenever you play a game, there is a balancing act between VRAM and the system RAM. If you don't have enough system RAM, the CPU will have to resort to using the pagefile which is absolutely devastating to performance as the storage (whether SSD or HDD) is the slowest component in a PC. If your VRAM isn't enough, then the graphics data will have to be swapped into and out of VRAM much more often, which can incur a performance penalty due to latency and cause micro-stuttering and frame lag.

Under ideal circumstances, you want to make sure that your PC has enough system RAM and that your GPU has enough VRAM to minimize latency and increase performance..

 

[LTC8K6]

In old versions of GPU-Z Dynamic Ram refers to the amount of memory reserved for use by the video card, whether needed or not. Dedicated Ram refers to the memory actually in use by the video card.

I don't believe the newer versions of GPU-Z show either one.

 

[npoe1]

Thanks for the answers. That makes more sense than the definition from the URL I posted.

 

[PrincessFrosty]

How much does a video card has of that Dynamic Memory?
Is that counted in the VRAM number? Example, a card is reported with 8 GB of VRAM and how much of Dynamic Memory?

Carfax gave a good explanation. Put about as simply as possible, there are several different types of RAM and DRAM is just one specific type. DRAM is used for both "System RAM" and "VRAM".

1. System RAM sits on the motherboard next to the CPU. The CPU reads/writes to it across its own dedicated bus. Most applications are loaded in to system RAM when they run/execute.
2. VRAM sits on the graphics card next to the GPU, it's RAM that is dedicated specifically to the GPU, the reason the GPU has its own dedicated VRAM is because games are performance sensitive and GPUs need to be able to process huge amounts of data relative to most desktop applications, so typically significantly faster types of RAM are used for VRAM.

The Graphics card is separated from System RAM by the PCI-E bus which isn't very high bandwidth and it shared between all PCI-E devices, which means it's not practical for graphics cards to use System RAM.

Typically the "loading" portion of games is where assets like textures, models and everything else needed for rendering is taken out of permanent storage (HDD or SSD) and then copied into System RAM and from System RAM it's copied to VRAM across the PCI-E bus. This process is slow which is why loading times are typically slow. But once that data is loaded in VRAM the GPU can then do operations on that data extremely fast. The bus between VRAM and the GPU is typically extremely fast and can transfer huge amounts of data rapidly to the GPU which is what calculates what the next frame of the game is going to look like.

So to answer your question directly, all the VRAM is DRAM, providing you're talking about discreet video cards that reside on the PCI-E bus.

There are some exceptions to this, systems without discreed PCI-E video cards, for example older systems with GPUs on the motherboard may not have dedicated VRAM but instead reserve a portion of system RAM, these systems are typically very slow for processing graphics. Also many new CPUs come with a portion of the CPU reserved for processing graphics and they also borrow from System RAM instead of having their own dedicated RAM. Often found in laptops which is why they're so bad for gaming.

 

[Sathik]

Static RAM is very old product currently no one uses it..Dynamic ram is DDR Ram latest one is DDR4. To more about hardware and networking join for class at IICT. Course Syllabus are shown below :
http://www.traininginchrompet.com/hardware-networking-training-in-chennai.aspx

 

[chummy]

Just notice than in DX12 games Dynamic RAM is being reported far higher than in DX11 in apps which read it like GPU-Z or HWinfo. Running AotS DX12 it shows 6GB VRAM usage + 5GB Dynamic RAM while the AotS process itself is consuming 7.5GB of system RAM. Running AotS in DX11 it report 6GB VRAM usage + 100MB Dynamic RAM. With BF1 numbers were not so high but DX12 was reporting 600MB and DX11 100MB.

In DX11 games Dynamic RAM reported by applications always was lower staying in that numbers of 100-200MB.

 

[SunnyNW]

I think most of the posters are misinterpreting what the OP is actually asking.

I believe he is asking specifically about the program GPU-Z.

In the GPU-Z "sensors" tab toward the bottom there is Memory Usage.

• Memory Usage (Dedicated)
• Memory Usage (Dynamic)

I believe he is asking what the difference is between the two. Which is a great question because I myself would like to know the answer as well.

 

[Carfax83]

I believe he is asking what the difference is between the two. Which is a great question because I myself would like to know the answer as well.

LTC8K6 already answered this question.. Dedicated memory is memory that is currently being used by the GPU, and dynamic memory is the amount of memory that is reserved...

 

[VeryCharBroiled]

just for added fun and confusion, video ram is dual ported so it can be read from and written to at the same time. dynamic (system) ram is not. at least thats what i recall.

glad i saw this thread, i was wondering the same thing myself.