PC Acronyms Explained: RAM vs VRAM

When building a PC there’s a lot of different parts so as a new builder it could be easy to get lost in the sea of NVMe SSDs, CPUs, GPUs, & PSUs. Those acronyms don’t even get into the specs for each device but it’s okay if you don’t understand everything yet. Let’s take one step towards knowing more by just breaking down two acronyms you may have heard, RAM and VRAM.

The short answer: VRAM is just RAM for your GPU.

RAM is short for Random Access Memory. It is what your computer uses to store information it’s expecting to need based on the programs and applications you are using. That is why you may have heard about how having too many tabs open in a web browser can eat up all your RAM. Even though you aren’t actively looking at them your computer needs to be ready in case you switch to any of them.

RAM is the broadest form of this type of memory. There are different types of RAM, which is how we end up with VRAM with the ‘V’ standing for “Video.” VRAM is RAM that is specifically dedicated to help process the video output of your GPU. VRAM is typically used to store things like the shape of objects, the color or texture of surfaces, or the data used to calculate all the complexities of ray tracing.

The GPU is essentially its own computer dedicated to graphics. It has its own processor, power input, and RAM. By placing RAM and other components closer to the GPU, it can move data around much faster. The downside to VRAM being so efficient is that it is more tightly integrated into the GPU. VRAM is not upgradable and the only way to get more is to get a new GPU so be sure you know how much you need before purchasing.

To get the most out of your GPU and VRAM be sure to properly cool your PC. Having adequate fans or a GPU water block designed for your specific card and its VRAM can ensure that they run optimally. VRAM placement can slightly vary depending on the manufacture, so GPU water blocks need to be designed for one specific model of GPU. Check out all the fans and cooling options over on our main webstore.