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- Newer games have ridiculously higher system requirements, making GPUs with less than 12GB VRAM obsolete for higher resolutions.
- More VRAM in GPUs is beneficial for productivity tasks as it can help drop render times.
- While VRAM is important for high-resolution gaming, GPU performance is equally important. Ideally, you want to strike a balance between both.
I remember the days when I could play almost any game on my old NVIDIA Quadro 2000 GPU. Nowadays, however, newer games are so unoptimized that mid-range GPUs from two to three years ago are becoming obsolete on higher resolutions. Until recently, 8GB VRAM was the minimum if you wanted to play games at 1440p and 4K resolution, but now I don’t recommend GPUs below 12GB VRAM anymore. Don’t understand why? Let’s take a look at the specifics.
Games Are Demanding More And More VRAM
As much as it pains me to say it, new games and applications demand more VRAM than before. Let’s take GTA 5, for example. The game, launched in 2013, is more taxing for the processor but still demands some VRAM to run correctly. Well, I could easily play it on my trusty GTX 1050 Ti at 1080p without any bottlenecks. Mind you, I did have to lower the settings slightly to get a steady 60 FPS, but other than that, I faced no issues.
Moving on to recent game launches, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is perhaps one of the biggest culprits of using too much VRAM. According to reports, the game demands over 18GB VRAM and is severely CPU bottlenecked at 1440p. Let’s also not forget the latest Black Myth Wukong, which has swept the internet with various negative reviews.
Whether the game is unoptimized or not isn’t the concern, but what is concerning is its VRAM consumption according to the game’s system requirements. You need an RTX 4080 Super with 16GB VRAM to run the game at 4K ultra. 1080p, you need an RTX 2060 with 6GB GDDR6 VRAM, which is more reasonable. The problem is that all these tests were done with DLSS, FSR, and XeSS enabled. So, you’ll require much more power without upscale technology to get the same performance, perhaps up to 12GB VRAM to disallow any stutters at entry-level 1440p.
How More VRAM Enhances Content Creation
VRAM benefits not just gamers but also content creators. Whether you’re editing videos at 4K, rendering 3D models, or working on photo manipulation, having higher VRAM will make a massive difference during renders and while using the software. Having at least 12GB VRAM keeps tasks running smoothly, and your 4K video won’t take days to render.
I periodically need to work on productivity tasks, and besides gaming, 12GB VRAM is currently the sweet spot for both ends of the spectrum without draining my wallet. Before, when I tried to render videos at 4K with my older graphics card, I was always afraid of my PC crashing because of the heavy load, but now it’s much better. Here’s a screenshot of how long it took me to render a ~7-minute video at 4K with my RTX 3060 and Ryzen 5 3600.
The Role Of VRAM In High-Resolution Gaming
The work of a GPU can get slightly complex when it comes to games. GPU performance and VRAM play crucial roles, but their importance can vary according to your resolution and the games you’re playing. The GPU’s performance correlates to higher FPS and smoother gameplay. On the other hand, VRAM is essential to store textures and graphical data. Having less VRAM can lead to stutters in your games.
That’s why, while the RTX 3060 sounds like a good option for 12GB VRAM, you’ll succeed more with an RTX 4070 Super at a higher 1440p resolution. In most cases, you won’t require more than 12GB VRAM for now, and you can sit on it for the next year or two. Ideally, you want a balance of GPU performance and VRAM, so choose according to the games you plan to play.
System Requirements Will Keep Increasing
Judging from how game and software requirements keep increasing yearly, it’s not far away that even 12GB VRAM users will start facing slight stutters at 1080p, let alone 1440p. However, if you’re fine playing the latest games with slightly lower graphics, the latest-gen 12GB VRAM GPUs should hold out for a few years.
In any case, I don’t recommend GPUs below 12GB VRAM anymore because they’re not likely to last you a long time and aren’t future-proof. If nothing else, you can opt for the RTX 3060 or the RX 6700 XT for decent 1080p gaming without emptying your wallet. So, even though games and software have become more demanding, we at least have a few graphics cards we can rely on for the next few years.
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[Hardware Reviewer]
Awais Khan is a Tech Geek, conscientious, reliable, and hardworking individual who pays attention to detail with excellent time management skills. Alongside that, he is an expert in PC Hardware; dealing with Benchmarks, Analysis, and testing before sharing information with readers. Whenever free, Awais occasionally shares Gaming Videos on his YouTube Channel.
Get In Touch: awais@tech4gamers.com
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