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A sizzling potato: Though Nvidia has caught essentially the most flak for persevering with to promote mid-range $400+ graphics playing cards with simply 8GB of VRAM, AMD has additionally endured with this strategy within the budget-performance section. Though unbiased benchmark information reveals the continued high quality and efficiency sacrifices related to smaller VRAM swimming pools, Workforce Pink continues to defend its lower-tier merchandise with statements that, whereas technically correct, obscure the true worth propositions of contemporary GPUs.
AMD’s Frank Azor not too long ago defended the corporate’s resolution to promote an 8GB variant of the Radeon RX 9060 XT amid rising criticism of mid-range and mainstream graphics playing cards that includes restricted VRAM. Whereas Nvidia is extra regularly responsible of this pattern and AMD playing cards typically provide extra reminiscence, essentially the most reasonably priced and standard merchandise from each firms undergo from the identical difficulty.
Following a Computex unveiling of the RX 9060 XT, which provides 8GB and 16GB configurations, Azor responded to a query concerning the cheaper model by claiming 8GB of VRAM is ample for 1080p, the preferred PC gaming decision.
Majority of avid gamers are nonetheless enjoying at 1080p and don’t have any use for greater than 8GB of reminiscence. Most performed video games WW are principally esports video games. We would not construct it if there wasn’t a marketplace for it. If 8GB is not best for you then there’s 16GB. Similar GPU, no compromise, simply reminiscence…
– Frank Azor (@AzorFrank) May 22, 2025
Our evaluations of comparable GPUs like Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti 8GB and 5060 reveal that, whereas that is true, low VRAM considerably handicaps playing cards in comparison with comparable {hardware} with extra reminiscence.
Whereas nearly any title in 2025 is playable with 8GB of VRAM on the proper graphics settings, the scale of the VRAM pool can nonetheless considerably influence the consumer expertise. Evaluating the 8GB and 16GB variations of the RTX 5060 Ti reveals that whereas common body charges are sometimes comparable, working out of reminiscence can dramatically worsen one-percent lows, resulting in noticeable stuttering. Some video games carry out worse general on the 8GB mannequin, and others – like Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle – crash at settings the place the 16GB GPU runs easily.
Warhammer 40,000: House Marine 2 highlights a special difficulty. Each playing cards ship almost equivalent body charges at extremely settings with the 4K texture pack enabled, however the 8GB model struggles to render high-resolution textures.
In one other benchmark, the 8GB RTX 5060 Ti even falls behind Intel’s Arc B580 – a 12GB card that prices over $100 much less and targets a decrease efficiency tier. These points can come up even at 1080p, a decision nonetheless utilized by 55% of surveyed Steam customers.
Azor additionally famous that the mainstream GPU market is aimed largely at esports gamers, who doubtless signify the biggest section of customers. Steam’s hottest video games – esports titles like Counter-Strike 2, Marvel Rivals, Dota 2, and Apex Legends – can nonetheless obtain excessive body charges on 8GB playing cards.
Associated studying: 4GB vs. 8GB: How Have VRAM Requirements Evolved?
Nonetheless, as GPUs turn into dearer, many customers are turning to price range {hardware} for taking part in demanding AAA titles, which benchmarks present they’ll deal with surprisingly nicely. With ample VRAM and upscaling expertise, mainstream GPUs are completely able to 4K gaming.
Nvidia’s approach to reviews of 8GB GPUs additionally suggests producers are conscious of the shortcomings. The corporate withheld 8GB RTX 5060 Ti overview items from unbiased retailers and restricted entry to RTX 5060 drivers for reviewers unwilling to benchmark the cardboard below favorable circumstances.
One such situation was enabling quadruple frame generation, a function that distorts uncooked efficiency metrics and consumes extra VRAM. In the meantime, ray tracing – a function Nvidia regularly markets as a core profit – is notably memory-intensive.
AMD’s first 8GB card, the Radeon RX 480, launched almost 9 years in the past at $229. It is outstanding that producers nonetheless promote GPUs with the identical VRAM capability for over $300. Exterior of esports, these merchandise are more likely to age poorly, particularly if next-generation consoles, that are anticipated to function greater than 20GB of reminiscence, launch inside these playing cards’ life spans.
