Allocate more RAM to Intel integrated graphics?

[TheShadbusher]

I have a Dell Inspiron N5010 (6 GB RAM, i5-480M) that I'd like to see if I can force to allocate a higher minimum amount of RAM to the integrated graphics. By default I believe it allocatea 64 MB or 128 MB and is supposed to increase as needed, but I don't believe it is increasing as it appears to perform as if it was using only 64 or 128 MB of video memory.

Is there a way I can make the integrated graphics allocate a higher minimum amount of RAM to itself?

 

[MellowCream]

I believe there's a way to specify how much video memory an application will have available by typing a command on the game console. So the command depends on the game, and since some games (specially new ones) don't have a in-game console, there's always options to input commands, usually by a .txt file directly on the game install folder.

 

[TheShadbusher]

I mostly use it to play Minecraft, TF2, Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: World at War, and Halo.

I know World at War and Halo have consoles, but it would be great if I could just change the default for the entire computer.

Also, scouring the BIOS proved fruitless.

 

[MellowCream]

I mostly use it to play Minecraft, TF2, Star Wars Battlefront II, Call of Duty: World at War, and Halo.

I know World at War and Halo have consoles, but it would be great if I could just change the default for the entire computer.

Also, scouring the BIOS proved fruitless.

That's practically impossible. On Minecraft there is an option in the launcher to change the memory. TF2 I'm not sure. You may want to consider buying a new graphics card Intel HD Graphics aren't the best for gaming.

 

[TheShadbusher]

That's practically impossible. On Minecraft there is an option in the launcher to change the memory. TF2 I'm not sure. You may want to consider buying a new graphics card Intel HD Graphics aren't the best for gaming.

Well, Minecraft lets you allocate varying amounts of RAM, not VRAM, and buying a graphics card for it isn't really an option seeing as how it's a laptop. :/

Meh, at least it runs TF2, Halo, and SWBF2 very well. I'll have to deal with low framerates in Minecraft and World at War for now.

EDIT: Looking more into the matter, it appears some manufacturers allow you to do this in the BIOS, but Dell isn't one of those manufacturers. D:

 

[madcratebuilder]

If you have the Intel 965 graphics then you can't do a lot. My 1525 has a minor adjustment in bios. I have upgraded to the latest 64 bit drivers from Intel. I've read about hacked bios that improves the 965 but have never tried them.

 

[TheShadbusher]

Alright, I think I've discovered the underlying problem here:

I don't think it's actually ever using any of the system RAM for graphics memory.

Any game I play that requires 64 MB or less video memory (which is how much dedicated VRAM my laptop has) runs fantastically, but anything over that barely scrapes along.

Is there a way I can know for sure if this is the case, and if it is, is there anything I can do about it?

EDIT: Found a program that lets me monitor GPU memory usage, and lo and behold, my hunch was correct:

(Still uploading as of this writing)





Is there anything I can do about this (like force it to actually use enough system memory for VRAM)?

 

[RoasterMen]

The video memory of the Intel Integrated Graphics ITSELF won't increase, but it will get some memory from your ram.

 

[LMiller7]

When it comes to graphics performance the amount of video RAM isn't the real issue. The real problem is the limited performance of the Intel integrated video system and there is very little you can do about that.

 

[TheShadbusher]

I'd just like it to allocate more system RAM to use as video RAM, because as you can tell by the video, it's not allocating nearly enough automatically.

The GPU's processor usage almost never goes above 50%, so it's not like it's being stressed in that sense. I would think it's capable of running a lot better, if it would use more RAM as VRAM.

 

[RoasterMen]

It will get more memory on your RAM when necessary, the allocation will increase or decrease depends on what the GPU will need.

 

[TheShadbusher]

It will get more memory on your RAM when necessary, the allocation will increase or decrease depends on what the GPU will need.

That's the thing I'm worried about--it seems to think 100 MB is enough to run, say, Minecraft, when Minecraft's gonna want at least 256 MB of VRAM to run well.

 

[RoasterMen]

Then it's fine, if it needs to reach to 256mb, the ''Shared System Memory'' will increase.

 

[XweAponX]

I have an e-Tower, with an Intel board, you can tell it to use as much of the memory pool as it wants or needs, up to 256mb. It says "Use DVMT" or "Fixed" or "Both", and the max for DVMT is 256, it won't show Aero with any less. But it's a very old board, I'm sure a newer Intel board will allow more than 256mb.