OMEN’s Resizable BAR: Optimising GPU Performance

Whether you’re a competitive gamer in Auckland, a graphic designer in Wellington, or a university student managing intensive coursework, improving your system’s performance can dramatically enhance your computing experience. For Kiwi gamers and creative professionals, enabling Resizable BAR is one of the most effective ways to unlock hidden performance potential in your OMEN system, delivering faster load times, increased picture quality, enhanced gameplay, and more.

In this comprehensive guide, you’ll discover how to optimise your GPU performance with Resizable BAR and learn which OMEN gaming systems are compatible with this powerful technology. Whether you’re rendering 3D models, streaming gameplay, or competing in esports, this feature can transform your experience and elevate your performance to professional levels.

What is Resizable BAR?

Resizable BAR (Base Address Register) is a breakthrough function that allows full and immediate CPU (Central Processing Unit) access to the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) memory, resulting in faster load times, enhanced picture quality, and a substantial boost in gaming performance. This function provides the CPU with access to the entire GPU memory buffer at once, delivering reduced lag, increased frame rates, and significantly enhanced performance across demanding applications.

In modern computing, having a reliable CPU and an advanced GPU is essential, whether you’re using the computer for gaming, graphic design, photography, video editing, or any intensive computing task. Enhancing communication between your processing units allows for reduced lag and minimised downtime, helping you save valuable time whilst working and game more competitively against opponents worldwide.

The Technology Behind Smart BAR (AMD) and Resizable BAR (NVIDIA)

Both NVIDIA and AMD support this technology, though they use different names:

• NVIDIA: Resizable BAR
• AMD: Smart Access Memory (SAM)

Both implementations achieve the same goal: removing the traditional 256MB memory access limitation that has constrained GPU performance for years. This represents one of the most significant advancements in GPU technology in recent years, and it’s available on modern HP gaming desktops and laptops right now.

Understanding Resizable BAR Technology

A computer’s PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is the high-speed pathway that connects vital information from one component of the computer to another. The Resizable BAR is an advanced function of the PCIe interface, and enabling it allows faster, more efficient communication between the CPU and GPU, providing users with enhanced capabilities and an exceptional user experience that’s immediately noticeable in demanding applications.

How Resizable BAR Transforms Performance

Traditional BAR Limitations:

• CPU can only access 256MB chunks of GPU memory at a time
• Multiple requests needed for large textures and assets
• Creates bottlenecks in data transfer
• Results in stuttering and lower frame rates
• Increased texture pop-in during gameplay

With Resizable BAR Enabled:

• CPU accesses entire GPU memory buffer (up to 24GB on high-end cards)
• Single request for large game assets
• Eliminates data transfer bottlenecks
• Smoother gameplay with higher, more consistent frame rates
• Dramatically reduced texture streaming issues

The Resizable BAR can improve GPU performance by allowing the CPU to see and request the entire VRAM buffer, rather than breaking requests into smaller 256MB chunks as traditional settings do. This dramatically improves texture streaming, reduces pop-in, enhances overall visual fidelity, and creates a more immersive experience whether you’re exploring virtual worlds or editing high-resolution footage.

Real-World Gaming Benefits

Gamers will see substantial benefits from using the Resizable BAR function as it allows entire game scenes to load simultaneously, reducing texture pop-in and improving overall smoothness. With a traditional BAR, the game typically only loads assets visible on the current screen and struggles to catch up as you move through the game world. With Resizable BAR enabled, the game can instantly access much larger portions of game data, including:

• Complete texture maps for entire levels
• Character models and animations
• Environmental details and effects
• UI elements and menus
• Shader cache data
• High-resolution textures and materials

This creates smoother gaming, eliminates texture streaming stutters, delivers better pixel quality, and results in a more immersive, responsive experience that lets you focus on winning, not waiting. For competitive gamers, this can mean the difference between victory and defeat in crucial moments.

OMEN System Compatibility and Requirements

Hardware Requirements for Resizable BAR

Most newer model computers can support this function, though it’s important to note that older models or computers with older GPUs may not meet the requirements. Here are the minimum specifications you’ll need to enable this performance-enhancing feature:

GPU Requirements:

• NVIDIA: GeForce RTX 30-series or newer (RTX 3060 and up)
• AMD: Radeon RX 6000-series or newer (RX 6600 and up)
• Intel Arc: All Arc A-series GPUs

CPU Requirements:

• Intel: 10th Gen Core processors or newer
• AMD: Ryzen 3000-series or newer

Motherboard Requirements:

• UEFI BIOS with Resizable BAR support
• PCIe 3.0 or newer (PCIe 4.0 recommended for optimal performance)

Checking Your System’s Compatibility

Whilst newer desktops and laptops typically support this modern GPU feature, it’s essential to verify compatibility before enabling. You can check compatibility through several methods:

• Your system’s BIOS/UEFI settings
• NVIDIA Control Panel or AMD Software
• GPU-Z utility (free download from TechPowerUp)
• Windows Device Manager

Taking a few minutes to verify compatibility ensures you won’t encounter issues during the enablement process and helps you understand your system’s capabilities.

Step-by-Step Resizable BAR Enablement Process

Pre-Flight Check: Verify System Requirements

Before enabling Resizable BAR, ensure your system meets all requirements. This verification process prevents potential issues and ensures a smooth enablement experience.

Step 1: Check Windows Installation Mode (UEFI vs Legacy)

1. Press Windows + R, type msinfo32, press Enter
2. Look for “BIOS Mode” in System Summary
3. It should say “UEFI” (not “Legacy”)

Step 2: Verify GPT Partition Style

1. Right-click Start button, select “Disk Management”
2. Locate the disc containing your C: drive
3. Right-click the disc number (not the partition), select “Properties”
4. Click the “Volumes” tab
5. Check “Partition style” - it must say “GUID Partition Table (GPT)”

If your system uses Legacy BIOS or MBR partitions, you’ll need to convert to UEFI and GPT before enabling Resizable BAR. This process requires careful attention and potentially backing up your data.

Enabling Resizable BAR in BIOS

For OMEN Desktops and Laptops, follow these detailed steps:

Enter BIOS:

1. Restart your computer
2. Press F10 repeatedly during boot (or ESC then F10)
3. Enter BIOS password if prompted

Navigate to Advanced Settings:

1. Use arrow keys to navigate to “Advanced” tab
2. Look for “System Options” or “PCIe Settings”
3. Some systems may display this under “Chipset Configuration”

Enable Required Settings:

1. Enable “Above 4G Decoding” (must be ON - this is critical)
2. Enable “Resizable BAR” or “Re-Size BAR Support”
3. Some systems may show “Smart Access Memory” for AMD GPUs
4. Verify both settings show “Enabled”

Save and Exit:

1. Press F10 to save changes
2. Confirm when prompted
3. Allow system to restart

The system will reboot with Resizable BAR enabled. This process typically takes slightly longer than a normal boot as the system reconfigures memory mappings.

Verifying Resizable BAR Activation

After enabling Resizable BAR in BIOS, it’s crucial to verify the feature is actually working. Different GPU manufacturers provide different verification methods.

For NVIDIA GPUs:

1. Open NVIDIA Control Panel (right-click desktop)
2. Click “Help” → “System Information”
3. Look for “Resizable BAR” - it should show “Yes”
4. If it shows “No,” revisit BIOS settings

For AMD GPUs:

1. Open AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition
2. Click Settings (gear icon)
3. Select “Graphics” tab
4. Check “Smart Access Memory” status
5. Should display “Enabled”

Using GPU-Z (Universal Method):

1. Download GPU-Z from TechPowerUp website
2. Run GPU-Z
3. Look for “Resizable BAR” in the main window
4. It should show “Enabled”
5. You can also see the BAR size allocation

GPU-Z provides the most detailed information and works with all GPU brands, making it the recommended verification method for technical users.

Advanced Configuration with NVIDIA Profile Inspector

For fine-tuning Resizable BAR settings per game, NVIDIA users can utilise the Profile Inspector tool. This advanced utility allows granular control over how Resizable BAR functions in individual games.

Download and Setup:

1. Download NVIDIA Profile Inspector from GitHub
2. Run as Administrator (right-click, select “Run as administrator”)
3. Wait for profiles to load

Navigate to Common Section:

1. Find “rBAR Features” in the dropdown
2. Set to “Enabled”
3. This enables Resizable BAR system-wide

Configure rBAR Options:

1. rBAR Options: Select profile with best performance
2. rBAR Size Limit: Usually “0x0000000400000000” (4GB)
3. These settings can be adjusted per-game for optimal performance

Apply Changes:

1. Click “Apply changes” button
2. Restart your computer
3. Launch games to test performance

This level of control is particularly useful for older titles that may not fully support Resizable BAR or games where you want to experiment with different settings for optimal performance.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with careful following of instructions, you may encounter issues when enabling Resizable BAR. Here are solutions to the most common problems faced by users.

Resizable BAR Not Showing in BIOS

Solutions:

• Update BIOS to latest version from HP support website
• Check HP’s support pages for your specific model
• Ensure GPU firmware is updated to latest version
• Verify your GPU model supports the feature
• Some older OMEN models may require specific BIOS versions

Performance Degradation After Enabling

Solutions:

• Some older games may perform worse with Resizable BAR
• Disable per-game in NVIDIA Profile Inspector
• Update game to latest version (many developers optimise for Resizable BAR)
• Check game-specific forums for known issues
• Monitor frame times, not just average FPS

System Instability After Enabling

Solutions:

• Verify all drivers are updated (GPU, chipset, BIOS)
• Check power supply adequacy for your configuration
• Reset BIOS to defaults and carefully re-enable settings one at a time
• Monitor system temperatures during stress testing
• Ensure adequate cooling for sustained performance

Games Crashing or Refusing to Launch

Solutions:

• Update GPU drivers using clean installation method
• Verify game files through launcher (Steam, Epic, etc.)
• Check Windows Event Viewer for error codes
• Temporarily disable Resizable BAR to isolate the issue
• Contact game developer support if issue persists

If problems continue after trying these solutions, consider consulting HP’s support resources or the OMEN community forums where experienced users can provide additional guidance.

Performance Optimisation and Tuning

Monitoring Performance Improvements

To truly understand the benefits Resizable BAR provides your system, it’s essential to measure performance before and after enabling the feature. This allows you to quantify improvements and troubleshoot any issues effectively.

Benchmarking Steps:

1. Before enabling Resizable BAR, run your favourite games and note FPS
2. Use built-in benchmarks in games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider or F1 2024
3. Record minimum, average, and maximum frame rates
4. Enable Resizable BAR following the steps above
5. Run identical benchmarks again
6. Compare results to see performance gains

Most users will see improvements ranging from 5-15% in supported titles, with some games showing even more dramatic gains. The benefits are most noticeable in games with large, detailed open worlds and extensive texture streaming.

Compatibility with Other Performance Features

Resizable BAR works harmoniously with other gaming PC performance enhancements, allowing you to stack multiple optimisations for maximum benefit:

• GPU Overclocking: Works perfectly with Resizable BAR, often enhancing benefits further
• CPU Overclocking: No conflicts, may enhance benefits by reducing CPU bottlenecks
• XMP/DOCP Memory Profiles: Recommended for best performance, complements Resizable BAR
• Game Mode/GPU Scheduling: Compatible and complementary features
• NVIDIA DLSS/AMD FSR: Works together for maximum frame rate gains

Whilst there are many ways to customise your gaming experience, it’s important to keep system stability in mind. Monitor temperatures and ensure adequate cooling when combining multiple performance enhancements, particularly in New Zealand’s warmer months.

Customising Per-Game Settings

If you find that some games improve from this function whilst others do not, you can customise settings per game for optimal results:

In NVIDIA Profile Inspector:

1. Select specific game profile from dropdown
2. Adjust rBAR settings for that game only
3. Save profile
4. Launch game to test changes

In AMD Software:

1. Navigate to Gaming tab
2. Select specific game from list
3. Toggle Smart Access Memory per title
4. Apply changes and test

This granular control ensures you get the best possible performance in every title whilst maintaining system stability in games that may not fully support the technology.

Professional Workload Benefits

Whilst enabling this feature benefits all users, certain professionals will see enhanced advantages that directly impact productivity and workflow efficiency:

• Content Creators: Faster timeline scrubbing in Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve
• 3D Artists: Improved viewport performance in Blender, Maya, and 3ds Max
• Live Streamers: Reduced encoding latency when using OBS or Streamlabs
• Game Developers: Better performance in Unreal Engine 5 and Unity
• Photo Editors: Smoother operation with large RAW files in Lightroom and Photoshop
• Video Editors: Faster rendering of effects and transitions
• CAD Professionals: Improved responsiveness in complex assemblies

For New Zealand’s growing creative industries, these improvements can translate directly into time savings and increased project capacity, making Resizable BAR a valuable tool for professional workflows.

Best Practices and Optimisation Tips

Regular Maintenance for Optimal Performance

Keep drivers updated regularly:

• GPU drivers monthly (check NVIDIA or AMD websites)
• BIOS updates quarterly (check HP support)
• Chipset drivers as released by manufacturer
• Windows updates for latest optimisations

Monitor system health consistently:

• Check temperatures regularly using monitoring software
• Verify performance metrics remain stable
• Run stability tests after making changes
• Keep thermal paste fresh (every 2-3 years for laptops)

Clean installation recommended for major updates:

• Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) when updating GPU drivers
• Ensures clean Resizable BAR implementation
• Removes potential conflicts from previous driver versions
• Particularly important when switching between driver versions

Maximising Resizable BAR Benefits

To get the absolute most from Resizable BAR, consider these additional optimisations:

Pair with Fast Storage:

• NVMe SSDs complement Resizable BAR benefits
• Reduces game loading times further
• Improves texture streaming speed
• Consider PCIe 4.0 NVMe for best results

Ensure Adequate RAM:

• 16GB minimum for gaming
• 32GB recommended for best results and future-proofing
• Allows system to cache more data
• Reduces reliance on slower storage

Use High-Speed RAM:

• DDR5 or fast DDR4 (3200MHz+) recommended
• Tighter timings provide additional benefits
• Enable XMP profiles for rated speeds
• Particularly beneficial with AMD systems

Keep Windows Updated:

• Latest updates include Resizable BAR optimisations
• DirectX updates improve compatibility
• Security patches maintain system stability
• Enable automatic updates for convenience

Optimise Game Settings:

• Enable DirectStorage in supported titles
• Use high or ultra texture quality settings
• Take advantage of increased VRAM bandwidth
• Experiment with settings to find sweet spot

These optimisations work synergistically with Resizable BAR to create a comprehensively enhanced gaming and creative experience that maximises your HP OMEN system’s potential.

Understanding Performance Metrics

When evaluating Resizable BAR’s impact, it’s important to understand which metrics matter most and how to interpret them correctly.

Key Performance Indicators

Frame Rate (FPS):

• Average FPS shows overall performance
• Minimum FPS indicates worst-case scenarios
• 1% and 0.1% lows reveal stuttering issues
• Resizable BAR typically improves minimum FPS significantly

Frame Time Consistency:

• More important than average FPS
• Resizable BAR reduces frame time variance
• Creates smoother, more consistent experience
• Particularly noticeable in fast-paced games

Texture Streaming Performance:

• Reduced pop-in and texture loading
• Faster LOD (Level of Detail) transitions
• Improved visual quality during movement
• Most noticeable in open-world games

Real-World Performance Expectations

Based on extensive testing, here’s what you can typically expect from enabling Resizable BAR:

Modern AAA Games (2020 onwards):

• 5-15% average FPS improvement
• 10-25% improvement in minimum FPS
• Significantly reduced stuttering
• Better consistency in demanding scenes

Esports Titles:

• 3-8% average FPS improvement
• More consistent frame times
• Reduced input latency in some cases
• Better multi-tasking performance

Creative Applications:

• 10-20% faster viewport performance
• Improved scrubbing responsiveness
• Faster effect preview rendering
• Better real-time playback quality

Remember that results vary based on your specific hardware configuration, game settings, and the titles you play. Some games benefit more than others depending on how they utilise GPU memory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will Resizable BAR work with my older GPU?

A: Resizable BAR requires NVIDIA RTX 30-series/AMD RX 6000-series or newer. Older GPUs don’t support this feature at the hardware level. If you have an older GPU, consider upgrading to a modern gaming laptop or desktop that includes this technology.

Q: Can I enable Resizable BAR on a laptop?

A: Yes, if your laptop meets the requirements. Most OMEN gaming laptops from 2021 onwards support it. Check your laptop’s specifications and BIOS version to verify compatibility.

Q: Does Resizable BAR work with all games?

A: Whilst enabled system-wide, benefits vary by game. Most modern titles show improvement, but some older games may not benefit or could see slight degradation. You can disable it per-game if needed.

Q: Is Resizable BAR the same as SAM?

A: Yes, Smart Access Memory (SAM) is AMD’s implementation of the same PCIe Resizable BAR feature. The underlying technology is identical, only the marketing names differ.

Q: Do I need to enable Resizable BAR for both GPU and motherboard?

A: Yes, it must be enabled in BIOS (motherboard level) and supported by your GPU for the feature to work properly. Both components must communicate that they support the feature.

Q: Will enabling Resizable BAR void my warranty?

A: No, enabling BIOS features like Resizable BAR does not void your HP warranty. It’s a standard feature designed to be user-enabled.

Q: Can I disable Resizable BAR if I encounter issues?

A: Yes, simply return to BIOS and disable the feature. Changes take effect immediately after reboot. There’s no risk to your system from enabling and disabling this feature.

Q: Does Resizable BAR increase power consumption?

A: The increase is negligible. The feature improves efficiency of data transfer rather than increasing power draw. Your overall system power consumption should remain essentially unchanged.

Q: Will Resizable BAR help with VR gaming?

A: Yes, VR games can benefit significantly from Resizable BAR due to their intensive texture streaming requirements. Many users report smoother VR experiences with the feature enabled.

Q: How often should I update my BIOS for Resizable BAR improvements?

A: Check for BIOS updates quarterly. HP and motherboard manufacturers occasionally release updates that improve Resizable BAR implementation and compatibility.

Conclusion

Enabling Resizable BAR on your HP OMEN computer unlocks significant performance benefits that can transform your gaming and creative experience. Whether you’re a competitive gamer seeking every possible advantage, a content creator demanding smooth performance, or a professional requiring optimal efficiency, this feature delivers tangible improvements that you’ll notice immediately in your workflow.

The beauty of Resizable BAR lies in its simplicity—it’s free performance waiting to be unlocked in your system. With modern OMEN systems fully supporting this technology, you’re just a few BIOS settings away from enhanced frame rates, reduced stuttering, and a more responsive computing experience. For New Zealand gamers and creative professionals, this represents one of the most cost-effective performance upgrades available.

Once you enable this feature, it’s a good idea to continually monitor your system performance and run regular performance testing to ensure everything is operating at peak efficiency. This keeps your computer in optimal condition and helps you maximise the impressive capabilities of your OMEN system.

From Auckland to Christchurch, New Zealand gamers are discovering the significant advantages that Resizable BAR provides. The feature works seamlessly with other HP accessories and performance enhancements, creating a comprehensive gaming ecosystem that delivers professional-grade performance for enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Ready to unleash your OMEN’s full potential? Enable Resizable BAR today and experience the difference that optimised GPU communication can make. Your games will run smoother, your creative applications will respond faster, and your overall computing experience will reach new heights. Take the time to follow this guide carefully, and you’ll join thousands of satisfied OMEN users who have unlocked their system’s true capabilities.

For additional support or questions about your OMEN system, visit HP’s support website or consult the extensive OMEN community forums where experienced users share tips, benchmarks, and optimisation strategies specific to New Zealand users.