Many graphic-intensive applications (especially games) require a minimum amount of video memory in order to operate correctly (or even to run at all). So how much video memory does an Intel® 82845G graphics controller have? The answer: it depends.

The amount of video memory is dependent upon the amount of pre-allocated memory set for your system plus something called Dynamic Video Memory Technology (DVMT). DVMT, as its name implies, dynamically allocates system memory for use as video memory to ensure the most efficient use of available resources for maximum 2D/3D graphics performance.

The amount of video memory allocated depends upon the amount requested by the operating system. When the memory is no longer required, it is returned to the operating system for use by other applications or system functions. DVMT allocates memory based on system needs and is not user-configurable. Memory can be allocated up to the maximum limit set by the graphics driver (see figure 1). The maximum limit of video memory allocated by DVMT is dependent upon the total amount of system memory installed (see table 1).

Table 1 - Graphics Memory Allocations

System Memory Maximum Memory Allocated for Graphics 0-127 MB Unsupported 128 MB 32 MB 129 MB+ 64 MB1

¹ 64MB is available with driver version 11.1 and later. Driver versions prior to 11.1 are limited to a maximum of 48MB.

Further information on DVMT is available through the following resources:

• Intel 82845G graphics controller - DVMT White Paper and DVMT Q & A

This applies to:

Intel® 82845G Graphics Controller