Alt Tabbing

[yadge]

Ok. So I know that more ram makes alt tabbing easier/faster. But I've also been doing some research, and I learned that when you go into a game, all of the video memory is erased so that it can focus on the game, and when you alt tab out of that, it is all erased again. So everytime you alt tab, it has to reload everything back into the video memory before you start.

So my question is this: Will faster video memory also improve alt tabbing capability?

Right now I have an x1950pro with 256mb of video memory. I'm thinking about upgrading to a 4870, or some other new card at the end of June. I know that it has DDR5. Will this decrease how long it takes to get back into my games? I know the fact that it will have more video memory will help, along with upgrading my ram to 4gb. But I was just wondering if the speed makes any difference.

With Assassins Creed, it doesn't take to long to get back in, maybe about ten seconds. But playing Team Fortress Two, it take about 25 seconds, which is kind of annoying.

Even if it doesn't alt tab that much faster after I upgrade, it doesn't really matter that much. I don't alt tab too often, and I'm upgrading for the performance increase anyway.

I don't know. I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas about this.

Thanks for any replies.

 

[blacksci]

What are you running for a vid card right now? My GTS takes like 3 secs and im back in game, and thats a long wait.

 

[yadge]

What are you running for a vid card right now? My GTS takes like 3 secs and im back in game, and thats a long wait.

I already said that I have an x1950pro...

But anyway, I'm sure your 4gb of ram helps, as I only have two, and you have a quad core, although my e6550 is overclocked to 3.4ghz, which should help.

And it does change based on the game. I just think steam games are harder to alt tab out of for some reason. Because Assassins Creed is more demanding, but doesn't take as long...

I don't know. I'm sure it'll be a lot better when I upgrade, I was just wondering if the speed of the video memory had much of an affect on it.

 

[yadge]

Actually Assassins Creed takes like 5 seconds.... which means Team Fortress Two is probably more like 15 seconds.

Whatever. I guess it doesn't really matter.

 

[blacksci]

I think that is the computer getting steam back up and running, hell it may even need to authenitcate your account before it even lets you in, im not saying thats the case, but its a possibility.