Games that need more than 8GB of VRAM (List)
Modern games need powerful GPUs to run smoothly and look great. One of the factors that affects GPU performance is VRAM, which is a special memory that stores the data and images for the GPU. The more VRAM your GPU has, the faster and smoother your newer AAA games will run, especially at higher resolutions and settings. In this article, we will list some of the games that need more than 8GB of VRAM to run at their best. These are games with very high-quality graphics and large open-world environments that use a lot of VRAM.
Lets see a and example. According to a recent benchmark by TechSpot, the RX 6800 outperforms the RTX 3070 in almost all situations, especially at higher resolutions and settings, thanks to its higher VRAM capacity. For example, in Battlefield V, the RX 6800 beats the RTX 3070 by 27% at 1080p and 1440p, and by 23% at 4K using the ultra quality preset. In other games, such as Fortnite, Red Dead Redemption 2, Horizon Zero Dawn, and Doom Eternal, the RX 6800 also shows a significant advantage over the RTX 3070.
Games that utilize 8GB VRAM or more:
| Game* | VRAM use (GB) |
|---|---|
| Kerbal Space Program 2 | 8.8 |
| Dead Space Remake | 13.0 |
| Redfall | 9.5 |
| Dead Island 2 | 8.7 |
| Star Wars Jedi Survivor | 10.0 |
| Far Cry 6 (HD textures) | 8.4 |
| Doom Eternal | 8.2 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 8.9 |
| Resident Evil 4 | 9.1 |
| Hogwarts Legacy | 10.1 |
| The Last of Us Part 1 | 12.4 |
| Forspoken | 13.1 |
| F1 2022 | 8.0 |
| MS Flight Simulator (2020) | 9.2 |
| Resident Evil Village | 8.0 |
| A Plague Tale: Requiem | 11.1 |
| The Callisto Protocol | 11.2 |
*All games in this table use their highest settings at 1440p resolution.
For those of you who want to turn on high or ultra settings at 1080p or 1440p, having enough VRAM becomes crucial. In my tests, I found that games like The Last of Us and Hogwarts Legacy can push VRAM usage even at 1080p ultra settings, sometimes approaching 4K levels. So, if you have a 3GB card, you might face performance issues in these games. To comfortably play at higher settings, a minimum of 12GB of VRAM is recommended, while 8GB is sufficient for smooth gameplay on lower or medium settings. The absolute bare minimum is 6GB of VRAM to avoid any problems with the latest titles.
It’s worth noting that as we move forward, 12GB of VRAM seems to be the new minimum for those seeking the latest and greatest experience, especially at 1080p with higher settings and effects like ray tracing. However, 8GB of VRAM will suffice for lower or medium settings, while 6GB remains the absolute minimum. The beauty of PC gaming lies in its flexibility, and the choices are vast.