How much ram does the 9400M take ?

[bontempi]

hello

just bought a new 24" iMac 2.66 ghz - 4 gigs of RAM - 640 go HD

it has the 9400M graphic chip.

i will use this computer mainly for Logic Pro. i use "spaces" (one space for safari / mail, one space for Logic)

how much RAM will the 9400M use ?

thanks

 

[jav6454]

256MB maximum.

 

[MacMini2009]

256mb

 

[bontempi]

does it takes 256 mb all the time, or does it change depending on the use ?

thanks

 

[Krafty]

It alters depending on the situation.

 

[MacMini2009]

does it takes 256 mb all the time, or does it change depending on the use ?

thanks

Well if you have 1GB of RAM, the video memory will go down to 128MB.

 

[geoffreak]

Aren't the 128MB model and the 256MB models two different Mac Minis?

NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics processor with 128MB or 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory

 

[Krafty]

Aren't the 128MB model and the 256MB models two different Mac Minis?

No, the other Mac Mini has 2GB RAM installed.

 

[mrj412]

It alters depending on the situation.

Not quite - It is determined by the amount of ram as others have mentioned:

128Mb if there is 1Gb or less, 256Mb is there is more than 1Gb.

This is set at boot and OSX will not be able to use the ram allocated for video memory.

 

[geoffreak]

No, the other Mac Mini has 2GB RAM installed.

Then why is it that you can BTO the lower end model with the same specs as the higher end model and have it be $20 less in price when in the education store? There is absolutely something wrong in the logic here.

 

[MacMini2009]

Then why is it that you can BTO the lower end model with the same specs as the higher end model and have it be $20 less in price when in the education store? There is absolutely something wrong in the logic here.

Apple should have put the 2.26GHz processor in the high-end model.

 

[Heilage]

Apple should have put the 2.26GHz processor in the high-end model.

Yes they should have. Right now the high-end Mac Mini is just a waste of money for a guy like me who doesn't need internal storage space (4TB file server and 3x redundancy backups of all important data). Gladly, I can buy the ultimate low end and shove some RAM and SSD in it.

 

[300D]

Yes they should have.

Its only one click of an option tab away.

 

[fhall1]

Note that the OP is talking about an iMac, not a Mini - although I think the 256M max number (with >= 2G RAM) still holds.

 

[Heilage]

Yes, it's the same principle. With 1GB RAM, the shared memory of the 9400M chip is 128MB. With 2GB RAM, this is upped to 256MB, which is also the max amount, so there is no gain when it comes ot the graphics on over 2GB RAM either, although I'd recommed anyone to go for 4GB right away, especially when it's so cheap.

 

[Krafty]

Not quite - It is determined by the amount of ram as others have mentioned:

128Mb if there is 1Gb or less, 256Mb is there is more than 1Gb.

This is set at boot and OSX will not be able to use the ram allocated for video memory.

I meant it doesnt use 128MB all the time, as he was wondering.

Then why is it that you can BTO the lower end model with the same specs as the higher end model and have it be $20 less in price when in the education store? There is absolutely something wrong in the logic here.

Ask Apple.

 

[zmttoxics]

Shared memory. It will use more as it becomes required up to a maximum of 256MB.