Mac VRAM

Video RAM Prices

While some of the products mentioned on this page may no longer be available, the information about these products remains available to those who may need it.

Model number links below point to logic board diagrams elsewhere on this website. The diagrams may be useful to experienced Macintosh users in identifying significant motherboard landmarks and memory expansion slots. Other links point to pages in the Apple Technical Information Library (TIL), and to sales pages on the MacGurus website.
If you do not see a schematic for your Macintosh and need assistance, feel free to email a MacGurus support engineer. If you are in doubt about your ability to handle sensitive electronic components, please contact your local authorized Apple dealer. Don't void your warranty!

The 112-pin 70ns VRAM DIMMs on this page specifically support:

Powermac 7200 (accepts three (3) 1MB VRAM DIMMs)

Powermac 7300 (accepts four (4) 1MB VRAM DIMMs)

Power Mac 7500 (accepts four (4) 1MB VRAM DIMMs)

Power Mac 7600 (accepts four (4) 1MB VRAM DIMMs)

Power Mac 8500 (accepts four (4) 1MB VRAM DIMMs)

Power Mac 8600 (accepts four (4) 1MB VRAM DIMMs)

ixMicro Twin Turbo 128M2 PCI Video Card
Note: There are three revisions of the Twin Turbo 128M2: one which accepts SOJ VRAM, one which accepts standard 112-pin 1MB VRAM DIMMs, and one which accepts a proprietary 2MB VRAM daughtercard.
MacGurus no longer stocks SOJ VRAM.
The second-generation 128M2 prefers Toshiba 528257J-70 chipsets, although others work as well. When ordering for this card, please note in the Comments section of the secure order form that you intend to utilize your VRAM with a second generation Twin Turbo 128M2. This will help us ensure that you receive compatible VRAM.
MacGurus has dwindling inventories of the proprietary 2MB VRAM daughtercards required to upgrade the last revision of the Twin Turbo 128M2 to 4MB VRAM. Since the 128M2 is no longer manufactured, it is likely that these are among the last upgrades available anywhere for this video card. To order, please email a Support Engineer.
Note: 2MB Expansion modules for ATI video cards which shipped with some early variants of the Power Mac 9500 are typically in-stock, but delays in filling your order may occurr. Your patience is appreciated.

The 144-pin SO-DIMMs on this page support:

Apple Power Macintosh G3 233

Apple Power Macintosh G3 266

Apple Power Macintosh G3 300

Apple Power Macintosh G3 333

Apple Power Macintosh G3 366

Apple iMac

Power Macintosh All-In-One
Note: Apple Power Macintosh G3 computers (including the iMac and AIO) have 2MB of SGRAM on the main logic board, which can be expanded to 4MB or 6MB with an additional 2MB or 4MB SGRAM SO-DIMM (Small Outline Dual Inline Memory Module), as defined in the JEDEC MO-190 specification. With 3.3v, 100 MHz/10ns SGRAM parts, this SO-DIMM is fully compatible with the above Apple G3's and the iMac.
It should be noted that expanding video memory in the Apple G3, iMac, and AIO increases the maximum color depth at some monitor resolutions, but maxes out at 1280 x 1024 at 60Hz with 6MB in the Apple G3, and 1024 x 768 at 75Hz with 6MB in the Apple iMac. It should also be noted that the video architecture of these Power Macintosh makes unused video memory available to QuickDraw3D applications for textures, accelerating QD3D performance.
In a standard 2MB configuration, Apple G3's support millions of colors at resolutions from 640 x 480 to 832 x 624. At resolutions of 1024 x 768 and 1152 x 870, color depth is limited to 16-bits, or thousands of colors. At the maximum resolution of 1280 x 1024, color depth is limited to 8-bits, or 256 colors. As noted above, upgrading yields 32-bit color depths at all supported resolutions. The iMac can display 32-bit color in all supported resolutions, with the exception of 1024 x 768 with 2MBs SGRAM (soldered), where the max pixel depth will be 16-bit (or thousands).

120-pin 4400/Motorola SGRAM DIMMs are no lonber available

VRAM for the Power Macintosh 4400 is no longer available.

VRAM for the Motorola StarMax is no longer available.
Note: The StarMax has one video upgrade slot, and can use 3.3v EDO pieces in 1MB or 2MB capacities, as well as 2MB and 4MB SGRAM DIMMs. With the 4MB upgrade, the StarMax can generate 32-bit color at resolutions up to 1280 x 1024.
Unfortunately, MacGurus no longer has access to inventories of this video memory.

The 68-pin, 80ns VRAM SIMMs on this page support:

Video Cards

Power Macintosh 4MB Video Card (Power Mac 8100) (accepts four (4) 512k VRAM SIMMs)

Power Macintosh 2MB Video Card (Power Mac 7100) (accepts four (4) 256k VRAM SIMMs)

Performas

Performa 275 (accepts a single 256k VRAM SIMM)

Performa 400, 405, 410, 430, 450, 460, 466, 467 (accepts either a single 256k or single 512k VRAM SIMM)

Performa 475, 476 (shipped with a pair of 256k VRAM SIMMs which may be replaced by two (2) 512k VRAM SIMMs)

Performa 550, 560 (512k soldered VRAM can be upgraded to 768k via installation of one (1) 256k VRAM SIMM. Some models shipped in this configuration. If Thousands of colors are available under the Monitors Control Panel, maximum VRAM is already installed.)

Performa 575, 577, 578 (shipped with 1MB maximum VRAM already installed via two (2) 512k VRAM SIMMs. No further upgrade is possible.)

Performa 600 (accepts two (2) 256k or 512k VRAM SIMMs)

LC-series

LC, LC II (256k VRAM SIMM may be replaced by a single 512k VRAM SIMM)

LC III (accepts either a 256k VRAM SIMM or a 512k VRAM SIMM)

LC 475 (shipped with a pair of 256k VRAM SIMMs which may be replaced by two (2) 512k VRAM SIMMs)

LC 520 (accepts one (1) 256k VRAM SIMM)

LC 550 (accepts one (1) 512k VRAM SIMM)

LC 575 (accepts two (2) 512k VRAM SIMMs)

LC 550 (accepts one (1) 512k VRAM SIMM)

Quadra & Centris-series

Quadra/Centris 650, 610 (accepts two (2) 256k VRAM SIMMs)

Quadra 900, 950 (accepts a total of four (4) 256k or 512k VRAM SIMMs)
Note: Some units allegedly shipped with two (2) 256k VRAM SIMMs and two empty slots, although Macintosh Quadra 950 Integrated Circuits and Quadra 950: Video Support state that expansion to 2MBs total is possible only through the installation of four (4) additional 256k VRAM SIMMs. Macintosh Quadra: Using Macintosh LC VRAM SIMMs notes that only 256k of each 512k VRAM SIMM is actually utilized due to limitations in ROM.

Quadra 840av (accepts four (4) 256k VRAM SIMMs)

Quadra 800 (accepts two (2) 256k VRAM SIMMs)

Quadra 700 (accepts up to six (6) 256k or 512k VRAM SIMMs, although only 256k of 512k VRAM SIMMs is actually utilized by the computer due to a limitation in ROM)

Quadra 605 (ships with two (2) 256k VRAM SIMMs which may be replaced by two (2) 512k VRAM SIMMs)

Classic Macs

Macintosh IIvx, IIvi (accepts two (2) 256k or 512k VRAM SIMMs)

Color Classic, Color Classic II (accepts one (1) 256k VRAM SIMM)

Note: 64-pin, 100ns 1MB VRAM SIMMs for the Apple Display Card 8/24GC are no longer available. The 64-pin, 100ns 256k VRAM SIMMs for the Apple Display Card 4/8 are also no longer available. If you require VRAM of this type, you have little alternative but to seek it on the used market. These pieces have not been in production for several years, and no inventories remain.

MacGurus wishes to express its sincere appreciation to Jeff Saxe for his gracious technical corrections to data on this page.