Imac: Low Video Memory

**Mac Osxtopus** · August 31st, 2002, 03:59 PM

My mac has 8 video RAM and i have 320 SDRAM(i think thats what it's called.... i just call it ram

) and most things run somewhat slower in OS x than they do in OS 9. For example, Starcraft w/ itunes on brings everyone else im playing with to a crawl, along with me after a few minutes, even though the game takes up only 16-32 RAM! A high-quality-video game, Warcraft III, is living hell on OS X, but works like a charm on OS 9. the 40:120 RAM ratio might have something to do with it... but i think its mostly my video card since the minimum requirement was 16 video RAM. Someone please tell me a way to get a new video card! How-to's for installing it would be appreciated as well, thanks.

**Cheryl** · August 31st, 2002, 04:43 PM

It would be nice to know exactly what model Mac you have. There are some models that you can not upgrade.

The other clue is the minimum requirement. You will get slow results on those games if you don't have the correct video requirement.

I bought a game that only stated the requirements as G3 or better. But when I went to play the game, I had a black screen. It turns out that there was more requirements listed on their web site that specified the exact video card - which I did not have at the time.

Now I do

**Mac Osxtopus** · August 31st, 2002, 06:06 PM

And how might i do this? apple system profiler reveals nothing about the model #.

**Jasoco** · September 1st, 2002, 01:14 AM

Well, tell us the MHz.

And is it a Slot loader or a Tray loader?

Also, what color is it? This will help pinpoint the revision and time it was released.

**Mac Osxtopus** · September 1st, 2002, 07:38 PM

indigo(not to be confused with the other "blue" one) color imac 350 MHz slot-loading....wish i had the new tray one = (

**Skewer** · September 1st, 2002, 07:44 PM

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there isn't anything you can do to upgrade the video. The tray load iMac's came with either 2 or 6megs of vram, depending on the rev, and the slot loads are either 8 or 16, pending model. Since it's all built into the logic board, it's not upgradeable. I, too, have an iMac which is noticeable slower in 10.x (classic and carbon), than running the same programs in os 9.x It's just the limitation of the hardware versus software.

Tim

**Mac Osxtopus** · September 2nd, 2002, 01:00 PM

*curses*........... Welll i guess the only thing i can change is RAM i suppose.... i AM below the norm 512 for imacs.... Stupid apple and their "compact wonders", all they did was make things unchangeable!