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What is DMA cheating, and how does it work?
DMA stands for direct memory access. In gaming, a DMA setup uses a second computer to read the game's memory through a hardware link, instead of running a program on the gaming PC. This guide explains the parts, how they fit together and what they cost.
Direct memory access in one minute
Direct memory access is a normal PC feature. Graphics cards, network cards and NVMe drives read and write system memory directly, so the processor does not have to copy every byte. A DMA card uses the same feature: it sits in a PCIe slot of your gaming PC and can read the memory the game is using.
The card does not run anything on your gaming PC. It is connected by USB to a second PC, and that second PC runs the software that turns raw memory into useful information, such as where other players are on the map.
The parts of a DMA setup
- Gaming PC: runs the game as normal.
- DMA card: a small PCIe card that reads memory. Our cards start at $119 for a 75T.
- Firmware: the code on the card that decides how it presents itself to your PC. From $79.
- Second PC: runs the DMA software. It does not need to be a gaming PC.
- Software license: the program for your game, sold per game and per time period.
- Optional: a fuser to show the second PC's picture on your main monitor, or an input device such as a Makcu.
Why DMA uses two PCs
Software that runs on the gaming PC shares the computer with the game and its anti-cheat. A DMA setup moves the software to a separate machine, so the gaming PC only sees a PCIe device. That is the main reason people choose DMA over software that runs on the same PC.
It is also why the firmware matters so much: the card is the only part the gaming PC can see. Is DMA detectable? covers this honestly.
No card? XMA and RDMA
You can get the same two-PC result without buying a card. XMA uses your motherboard to do the card's job (from $69 a month), and RDMA links the two PCs over your local network (from $10 a day or $79 a month). DMA card vs XMA vs RDMA compares the three.
What a first setup costs
A typical first setup is a 75T card ($119), Basic firmware ($79) and a game license. The 75T Starter bundles a card, a fuser and a Makcu for $254. Licenses start at a few dollars; game licenses shows live prices for every game.
Is DMA legal?
Buying DMA hardware is legal in most places, and DMA cards are also used for security research and debugging. Using one in an online game almost always breaks that game's terms of service and can get your account banned. You are responsible for following the rules that apply to you.