Difference between graphics card and memory?

When you watch a 4k movie on your computer, does it use your graphics card or memory?

When you use a lot of multiple virtual desktops (for example, I have 20 virtual desktop using the 3rd party program Dexpot), does it require a lot of the graphics card or memory? I have no clue what the answer to these questions are.

Should I got for 128 gigs of memory or an Nividia 1070?

Which would make my computer run more smoothly because run now, it runs like a jalopy even though I've got good components. It's just that I have 2 monitors (one is 32'' 4k resolution, and the other is 27'' 4k). I don't play any games but I do use dexpot with like 20 virtual desktops.

Why don't you do the experiment yourself.

For a start you can use the Task Manager, click on the Performance Tab > GPU 0 or whatever it is.

On the right hand side various graphs of resources being used. Change those graphs to what you require to be displayed.
Then use your 20 Desktops for whatever you do, and see the results on resource usage.

This will depend on how Dexpot is implemented.

You can run Process Explorer to see how much GPU dedicated (on-board) memory is being used by each process.

The other guy is correct in that I meant virtual DESKTOPS, not virtual machines. I like to have like 20 of them for each task I like to do. For example, just for surfing the web, I like to have one. Another one for watching movies. It's just that my computer slows to a crawl and I have 64 gigs, i7, quad core 3.4Mgz with a Nvidia GTX 660. I also have A LOT of 3rd party programs that seem to conflict with each other but I don't know how they conflict with each other. ☹

I actually look at Task Manager a lot because when it starts to slow to a crawl, I look for the program to End Task. Sometimes, I can't seem to figure it out and I reboot my machine. It's obviously very annoying when it happens.

It doesn't seem like all my memory is used but I can't tell. Sometimes, it looks like memory according to Task Manager isn't being used much but I know it is so it seems Task Manager is inaccurate a bit. You think that I have to get a better graphics card?

Masterchiefxx17 said:

Your graphics card is the component within the machine that will produce the video content on your screen. The video will put a tax onto your graphics card, not so much your memory. Think of memory as a fast scratch disk for your system.
VMs need memory, so, depending on what you are using the VMs for, more memory is better.

It seems Task Manager is inaccurate or maybe something else is involved. A lot of times, things will slow to a crawl and I have to open Task Manager and search for the program to End Task one by one. My memory, 64 gigs never gets close to 100% and neither does GPU I think. Althugh I do have a GTX 660 which seems it might be the bottleneck. I'll try to upgrade it today as today is Prime Day.

I know Dexpot is conflicting with one of the other programs but I don't want to get rid of Dexpot. I really kinda' like it.

Helmut said:

Why don't you do the experiment yourself.

For a start you can use the Task Manager, click on the Performance Tab > GPU 0 or whatever it is.

On the right hand side various graphs of resources being used. Change those graphs to what you require to be displayed.
Then use your 20 Desktops for whatever you do, and see the results on resource usage.

I never used Process Explorer before but I'll give it a try and see if it helps me figure out what's going on. Thanks.

PolarNettles said:

This will depend on how Dexpot is implemented.

It looks like both my CPU and memories go up to 100%. I guess Dexpot or virtual desktop (especially 20 of them) really requires a lot of CPU and memory?

Masterchiefxx17 said:

Ah, apologies. I went with an assumption that you had misspoke and were calling them a virtual desktop.

What does your Process Explorer show after installing it with your virtual desktops opened? I wouldn't imagine I am as far off on my original statement as it may seem.