Is 8GB VRAM Still Enough for 1080p High 1440p medium gaming?

The answer to this question is not straightforward, as it depends on the games you play and the features you enable. In general, 8GB of VRAM is still enough for most games at 1080p high settings or 1440p mid settings, as long as you have a powerful GPU that can handle them. However, there are some exceptions and caveats that you should be aware of.

One of the exceptions is if you want to enable ray tracing in your games. Ray tracing is a technique that simulates realistic lighting effects by tracing the path of light rays in a scene. Ray tracing can create stunning visuals, such as reflections, shadows, and global illumination, but it also requires a lot of computational power and VRAM. Some games that support ray tracing are Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs Legion, Control, and Metro Exodus.

Tests conducted by TechPowerUp and Hardware Unboxed show that newer titles like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, The Last of Us Part One, and Hogwarts Legacy are demanding more than 8GB of VRAM, even when playing at 1080p with high settings. This shows that even at a relatively moderate resolution, these games are pushing the boundaries of VRAM usage. It’s becoming evident that having 8GB of VRAM may not be sufficient to fully optimize and enjoy these games at their highest graphical fidelity. It’s a clear indication that as gaming technology progresses, more VRAM will likely be required for an optimal gaming experience.

For example in test RTX 3070 with 8GB DDR6 VRAM, lacks behind the AMD’s RX 6800 with 16 GB DDR6 VRAM with games like Resident Evil 4, Forspoken, Warhammer 40,000: Darkside.

Another exception is if you want to use higher texture quality or resolution scaling in your games. Higher texture quality can make your games look more detailed and realistic, but it also requires more VRAM to store the larger texture files. Resolution scaling can make your games look sharper and clearer by rendering them at a higher resolution than your display and then scaling them down to fit your screen. However, resolution scaling also requires more VRAM to store the higher-resolution images.

In the past, 8GB of VRAM was considered to be more than enough for most games. However, as games have become more demanding, this is no longer the case. In fact, there are now a number of AAA titles that can push beyond 8GB of VRAM.

This is not to say that all 8GB graphics cards are useless. They are still perfectly capable of running older games and less demanding titles. However, if you are looking to play the latest and most demanding games at high settings, then you will need more VRAM.

The reason for this is that games are becoming more and more visually demanding. They are using higher resolutions, more complex textures, and more advanced effects. All of this puts a strain on VRAM, and 8GB just isn’t enough to keep up.

As a result, we are seeing a trend towards graphics cards with more VRAM. The latest generation of graphics cards from both Nvidia and AMD offer 12GB or more of VRAM, and this trend is only likely to continue in the future.

What are the benefits of having more VRAM?

Having more VRAM can improve your gaming performance and allow you to use higher graphical settings. More VRAM means that your GPU can store more graphics data without having to swap with the system RAM or the hard drive. This can reduce loading times, stuttering, pop-in effects, and graphical glitches in your games.

More VRAM also means that you can use higher graphical settings that enhance the image quality and realism of your games. For example, you can use higher texture quality, anti-aliasing methods, draw distance, ambient occlusion, shadow quality, and other effects that make your games look better.

The Las of Us is using 11 GB of ram on RX 6800 with 16GB VRAM. It runs with no stutter and better frame-time compared to RTX 3070 with 8GB VRAM.

More VRAM also means that you can enable advanced features like ray tracing or DLSS that can improve both performance and image quality in your games. Ray tracing can create realistic lighting effects that enhance immersion and realism in your games. DLSS can increase performance and reduce VRAM usage by upscaling lower-resolution images to higher-resolution ones using artificial intelligence.

What do user say

• Most users agree that 8GB of VRAM is no longer enough for high-end gaming. They point to the fact that many AAA titles are now using more than 8GB of VRAM, and that this trend is only likely to continue in the future.
• Some users argue that 8GB of VRAM is still enough for most gamers. They point out that there are still many games that can run well on 8GB of VRAM, and that most gamers do not need to play the latest and most demanding games.
• A few users believe that the rise of ray tracing will make 8GB of VRAM even less sufficient for gaming. Ray tracing is a demanding technology that requires a lot of VRAM, and so users who want to play ray tracing games will need a graphics card with at least 12GB of VRAM.\

Overall, the consensus in the comment section is that 8GB of VRAM is no longer enough for high-end gaming. If you are serious about gaming, then you should consider investing in a graphics card with more VRAM.

Conclusion

If you are planning on playing the latest and most demanding games, then it is a good idea to get a GPU with at least 12GB of VRAM. This will ensure that you have enough headroom for future updates and enhancements in your games. However, if you are happy with playing older or less demanding games at lower settings, then 8GB of VRAM may be enough for you. Ultimately, the choice depends on your personal preference and budget.