Imac: Low Video Memory

Mac Osxtopus

Registered
My mac has 8 video RAM and i have 320 SDRAM(i think thats what it's called.... i just call it ram :p ) 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.
 
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 :p
 
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.
 
indigo(not to be confused with the other "blue" one) color imac 350 MHz slot-loading....wish i had the new tray one = (
 
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
 
*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!
 
Apple does sell models that are upgradable, just not some models, like the cube and the iMac.
 
Let me tell you a little story:

Once apon a time there was a boy named Trip. Trip had a crummy Clam Shelled 466 Mhz (128 MB Memory) G3 iBook. Trip hated his iBook. Trip hated OS 10.1.5. But then Trip got a check in the mail. So Trip went out and upgraded his memory from 128 MB to 512 MB. Then with the left over money Trip bought a copy of OS 10.2. Now Trip is happier than a banshee in a field of mute people. End of story.

Moral of this story: OS 10.2 and lotsa memory can make a lot of a difference in your everyday life. Screw graphics cards and MHz upgrades. :D
 
The only bad thing about that story is that you.. uh.. Trip is stuck at 800x600.. Yikes! :eek: :p
 
That's true. But little Trippy (can I say that?) has grown to love and respect 800x600 for what it is. :D
 
Originally posted by Mac Osxtopus
Why are you stuck in 800x600? too much video intesnsity or jaguar sucks so much that you can't change resolutions?
Obviously, you've NEVER seen a Clamshell iBook before?

They only go up to 800x600. :rolleyes:
 
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