8GB VRAM not enough (and 10 / 12)

[BFG10K]

This thread was started in mid 2021 and is being retired/locked. As the OP is no longer active, or updating and maintaining it.

Mod DAPUNISHER

8GB

• Dying Light 2, Battlefield 2042, Avatar Frontiers of Pandora, Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3, Starfield, Forza Horizon 5, Horizon Forbidden West, Alan Wake 2, The Last of Us, Tekken 8, FC 24, Detroit Become Human, Death Stranding, Alone in The Dark, Overwatch 2
  3060 12GB higher 1% low than 4060 8GB https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIfz57wmywg
• Cyberpunk 2077, Diablo 4, Hogwarts Legacy, Horizon Zero Dawn, Microsoft Flight Sim 2020, Witcher 3, Watch Dogs Legion skip to 4K + DLSS for each game https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPiaWWd0xGc
• Ratchet & Clank, Plague Tale Requiem, Last Of Us, Jedi Survivor, Far Cry 6, Hogwarts Legacy, Forza Horizon 5, Cyberpunk 2077 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr3MckDxMfE&pp=ygUTMTZnYiB2cyA4Z2IgNDA2MCB0aQ==
• Far Cry 6, Godfall, Hogwarts Legacy, Forza Horizon 5, Forspoken, Doom Eternal, Watchdogs Legion https://youtu.be/fJc--C01P90?t=268
• Last Of Us, Resident Evil 4, Callisto Protocol, Plague Tale Requiem, Halo Infinite, Forspoken https://youtu.be/2_Y3E631ro8?t=429
• Last Of Us, Hogwarts Legacy, Resident Evil 4, Forspoken, Plague Tale Requiem, Callisto Protocol https://youtu.be/Rh7kFgHe21k?t=288
• Hogwarts Legacy, Last Of Us, Spider Man Remastered, Doom Eternal, Forza Horizon 5 https://youtu.be/R943CbDTq_s?t=1473
• Horizon Forbidden West 4060 has issues @ 1080p + DLSS unless you switch off frame generation and reduce settings to high https://youtu.be/3AyKvI23VGw?t=233
• Horizon Forbidden West 3070 requires reducing textures 2 notches https://youtu.be/xTwEGy6HHKo?t=351
• Deathloop https://youtu.be/lu_XHyO-6zY?t=918
• Ghost Recon Breakpoint https://youtu.be/iUGppQVpXzU?t=529
• Resident Evil 2 https://youtu.be/Aa-gsgRjMII?t=796
• Talos Principle 2 https://youtu.be/K6FATQAuEwI?t=337
• Spider Man Remastered https://youtu.be/vRVR_plVSlc?t=1060
• Witcher 3 https://youtu.be/vRVR_plVSlc?t=1240

Horizon Forbidden West 3060 is faster than the 2080 Super despite the former usually competing with the 2070. Also 3060 has a better 1% low than 4060 and 4060Ti 8GB.

Spoiler

Resident Evil Village 3060TI/3070 tanks at 4K and is slower than the 3060/6700XT when ray tracing:

Spoiler

Company Of Heroes 3060 has a higher minimum than the 3070TI:

Spoiler

10GB / 12GB

• Plague Tale Requiem 3080 10GB tanks if you enable ray tracing, would be fast enough if it had more VRAM because if you stop moving, the framerate stabilizes to >60FPS https://youtu.be/7zjrMww3fAc?t=496
• Hogwarts Legacy 4K + RT, 4060Ti 16GB is faster than 4070 12GB https://youtu.be/X-h_R488Mq8?t=191

Reasons why still shipping 8GB since 2014 isn't NV's fault.

Spoiler

1. It's the player's fault.
2. It's the reviewer's fault.
3. It's the developer's fault.
4. It's AMD's fault.
5. It's the game's fault.
6. It's the driver's fault.
7. It's a system configuration issue.
8. Wrong settings were tested.
9. Wrong area was tested.
10. Wrong games were tested.
11. 4K is irrelevant.
12. Texture quality is irrelevant as long as it matches a console's.
13. Detail levels are irrelevant as long as they match a console's.
14. There's no reason a game should use more than 8GB, because a random forum user said so.
15. It's completely acceptable for the more expensive 3070/3070TI/3080 to turn down settings while the cheaper 3060/6700XT has no issue.
16. It's an anomaly.
17. It's a console port.
18. It's a conspiracy against NV.
19. 8GB cards aren't meant for 4K / 1440p / 1080p / 720p gaming.
20. It's completely acceptable to disable ray tracing on NV while AMD has no issue.
21. Polls, hardware market share, and game title count are evidence 8GB is enough, but are totally ignored when they don't suit the ray tracing agenda.

According to some people here, 8GB is neeeevaaaaah NV's fault and objective evidence "doesn't count" because of reasons(tm). If you have others please let me know and I'll add them to the list. Cheers!

 

[WelshBloke]

Look forward to your results. Seeing some games run one, sometimes entire tiers of GPU faster on a distro than the same AMD system in windows, maybe this is one of those literal game changers?

It's running through a compatibility layer so I doubt that it's going to have better than Windows performance. I'm just amazed that it ran with minimal faffing about! All I did was toggle on the proton 10 option in steam.

Also don't be expecting any fancy YouTube videos! I don't have the bandwidth for that (although FTTP is now available in my area!).
I'll just be doing a few subjective run throughs and going "well at these settings it ran about XX FPS, seemed [fairly smooth]/[laggy and awful]".
Unless there's an easy way to benchmark it.

I will say that it's not going to run with everything on max. At the moment I think everything is on high and it feels like frame gen is on as it has that floaty feel to it but it's running at 3440*1440 at about 80fps. I expect that to drop significantly when I turn off the things I don't like (frame gen and upscaling).

 

[psolord]

Well, here's the game running on a PS5 Pro. It doesn't look anywhere near Badass, esp the lighting... but they chose appropriate settings for 60 fps at least.

Appropriate settings you say....

 

[psolord]

Quick: answer without engaging every neuron in your brain. You have limited money. What do you get? An 8GB card that sometimes proves its worth or 12GB card that mostly saves you from upgrading?

The answer is seldom that easy. Nowadays I would get a B580 probably.

However the 12GBs of the 3060 did not save it from bad performance or its users from upgrading. Here are the last few benchmarks from gamegpu. You don't need half hour tests to see what's going on. Performance is terrible from the get go. Unless I don't know...may use correct or appropriate settings?

Spoiler: gamegpu benches

 

[psolord]

It's high enough that you have to keep the textures turned down even at 1080 with high for every other setting. We have been LOLing about it for years now; turning down textures on a $300-$400 card at 1080. Of course the game would still be a hot mess even if 8GB was enough for badass quality.

The final image quality is primarily a factor of gpu power and not vram. There's plenty of space for an 8GB card to provide a good image quality on a 1080p screen. Even more with upscalers. Let me give you an example.

This is a side by side run of my 9070 and 3060ti cards.

https://www.youtubemultiplier.com/683b48449040b-9070vs3060ti-stellar-blade.php

They are both my own systems. I don't have anything against or for, either one. I am just laying the facts. Different settings, very high for the 9070, high for the 3060ti. They are both outputting at 4K though, with lower internal res for the 3060ti of course. The 9070 is twice as fast in terms of gpu power and has twice the video ram. Do you see it being twice as good looking? Not even close. It's actually the other way around at some points, because due to DLSS, the end picture looks sharper for the 3060ti at some points.

Look at this comparison for example.



The 3060ti actually looks better. With lower settings, lower internal resolution and yes lower textures. This is the difference of DLSS vs FSR3.

Thankfully there is FSR4 support for this game, that got enabled after I did this comparison. So no, these DLSS equipped cards, can do a very good job, if you tune them right and not push everything over 9000.

 

[igor_kavinski]

However the 12GBs of the 3060 did not save it from bad performance or its users from upgrading. Here are the last few benchmarks from gamegpu. You don't need half hour tests to see what's going on. Performance is terrible from the get go. Unless I don't know...may use correct or appropriate settings?

Whacha gonna do with your sad little 3060 Ti 8GB now that your favorite review site isn't even testing it anymore? I hope you give us the good news that you dumped it on the used market already.

 

[igor_kavinski]

It's actually the other way around at some points, because due to DLSS, the end picture looks sharper for the 3060ti at some points.

That is entirely subjective, UNLESS you want to provide high-res screenshots of the differences in the points you are referring to. Please mark the differences clearly and once you are done, please give some thought to the number of people that actually keep two systems side by side to analyze image quality instead of, you know, actually playing the game.

Posters like you lead to sheep paying $400 for 8GB Nvidia cards.

 

[psolord]

Whacha gonna do with your sad little 3060 Ti 8GB now that your favorite review site isn't even testing it anymore? I hope you give us the good news that you dumped it on the used market already.

I don't sell my GPUS ever since the Radeon 3870. The 3060ti can do a very good job still. One more example. This is Vindictus test from gamegpu.

Spoiler: vindictus gamegpu

RTX 3060 is at 26fps.

Well here is a half hour run of the same game, on my 3060ti (handicapped by the 4770K platform too) doing a WAY better job, reaching 60fps quite often, with correct settings of course.

Spoiler: vindictus 3060ti 4k dlss medium

And this ain't plain 1080p. It's actually upscaled to 4k, giving a very stable output, thanks to DLSS. However these tensor cores are not running on nitrogen. They take some TBP. Still, job well done.

And if you want to argue about using medium settings and how ugly it potentialy is, well guess again. Here is the minimum/maximum comparison of gamegpu, versus what the 3060ti and its medium preset can give.

Spoiler: visual quality comparison of vindictus

People in this thread, should try setting up their hardware in a better way and stop complaining all the time.

 

[psolord]

That is entirely subjective, UNLESS you want to provide high-res screenshots of the differences in the points you are referring to. Please mark the differences clearly and once you are done, please give some thought to the number of people that actually keep two systems side by side to analyze image quality instead of, you know, actually playing the game.

Posters like you lead to sheep paying $400 for 8GB Nvidia cards.

You can view the above videos seperately in different windows and view them at 4K. They have more than enough quality.

And no I am not saying the 3060it is better. I am not crazy. I am saying use your card's abilities, within its targeted scope, because it can do a very good job and stop bitching.

 

[igor_kavinski]

I am saying use your card's abilities, within its targeted scope, because it can do a very good job and stop bitching.

It seems kinda hypocritical when the receiving end of your critical posts is the 3060 12GB. It too can do a great job. Your favorite website hasn't dropped it yet. It's the entry level now. Even if less than 30 fps because not everyone has the luxury to afford a good enough card. Just keep 8GB cards out of your posts and we don't have a problem. Don't tempt some clueless soul into getting an 8GB card without realizing the bad value it entails. I have the 9060 XT 8GB. You don't see me trying to justify its existence from online sources. I got what seemed like a good deal to me ($316 in three installments with 0% interest).

 

[psolord]

It seems kinda hypocritical when the receiving end of your critical posts is the 3060 12GB. It too can do a great job. Your favorite website hasn't dropped it yet. It's the entry level now. Even if less than 30 fps because not everyone has the luxury to afford a good enough card. Just keep 8GB cards out of your posts and we don't have a problem. Don't tempt some clueless soul into getting an 8GB card without realizing the bad value it entails. I have the 9060 XT 8GB. You don't see me trying to justify its existence from online sources. I got what seemed like a good deal to me ($316 in three installments with 0% interest).

Duude, why the F did you get an 8GB 9060XT? Are you crazy? These are too powerful for 8GBs. No I am not trolling. 16GBs will not be used 100% ofc, but what can you do, this is how the chips are cut. In any case, for 1080p they will not be bad.

My defense of 8GB cards, comes with a specific gpu power in mind. If you see me suggesting someone getting an 8GB 5060ti or a 9060XT 8GB, instead of their 16GB counterparts, you can smite me. I will not.

As for the 3060, I am using it to highlight exactly that, gpu power to vram ratio. For 97% of the cases, 12GBs will be useless for the 3060. It is barely useful for my 4070ti. And of course I am showing the ridiculousness of over9000 settings.

I said a number of times. I am showing people how to save money, not the other way around. it's the rest of you that hunts for exorbitant settings.

 

[igor_kavinski]

Duude, why the F did you get an 8GB 9060XT? Are you crazy? These are too powerful for 8GBs.

16GB was $210 more. No way I was gonna pay that for only 8GB more. I already have other 16GB and 24GB cards for when and if I need them.

As for the 3060, I am using it to highlight exactly that, gpu power to vram ratio.

How would you define GPU power? A GPU could be getting 100+ fps in one game but another game from the same year of release could be kneecapping it with fps in the low teens.

I said a number of times. I am showing people how to save money, not the other way around. it's the rest of you that hunts for exorbitant settings.

People get more value out of saving money AND cranking settings as high as they can. Something they can't do with 8GB cards.

 

[marees]

People get more value out of saving money AND cranking settings as high as they can. Something they can't do with 8GB cards.

Nvidia gets value out of selling vram limited cards. This forces users to upgrade more frequently

Basically a clash of value of Nvidia vs consumers

 

[igor_kavinski]

But at least 2025 was the year when Nvidia had trouble pushing their 8GB slop. Now they will either bump it up to 9 or 10GB in the Super series or come up with ways to reduce VRAM requirements (AI based texture compression?).

 

[marees]

But at least 2025 was the year when Nvidia had trouble pushing their 8GB slop. Now they will either bump it up to 9 or 10GB in the Super series or come up with ways to reduce VRAM requirements (AI based texture compression?).

No rumours of 5060 super 12gb yet

RGT postulated $350 msrp but launch could happen only in H2 2026

Technically AMD roadmap has RDNA 5 also on H2 2026
But after the extended delays of RDNA 4, it feels like a H1 2027 launch

 

[Thunder 57]

Duude, why the F did you get an 8GB 9060XT? Are you crazy? These are too powerful for 8GBs. No I am not trolling. 16GBs will not be used 100% ofc, but what can you do, this is how the chips are cut. In any case, for 1080p they will not be bad.

My defense of 8GB cards, comes with a specific gpu power in mind. If you see me suggesting someone getting an 8GB 5060ti or a 9060XT 8GB, instead of their 16GB counterparts, you can smite me. I will not.

As for the 3060, I am using it to highlight exactly that, gpu power to vram ratio. For 97% of the cases, 12GBs will be useless for the 3060. It is barely useful for my 4070ti. And of course I am showing the ridiculousness of over9000 settings.

I said a number of times. I am showing people how to save money, not the other way around. it's the rest of you that hunts for exorbitant settings.

STFU. You are nothing but a troll.

 

[Iron Woode]

ps the 12GB 3060 is at 40fps at 1080p medium, while the 8GB 3060ti is at 53fps. I ain't seeing the vram helping here either. With some dlss the 3060ti can provide a pretty good experience.

Are we going to have to explain this very obvious issue to you agian? They have 2 very different cores with very different performance levels. This isn't a matter of 2 identical cards with different levels of vram.

And now back to our regularily shceduled programming.

 

[igor_kavinski]

They have 2 very different cores with very different performance levels. This isn't a matter of 2 identical cards with different levels of vram.

Not to mention different price points.

But our devoted Jensen-o-phile adamantly insists, "buy more to save more!".

 

[psolord]

Are we going to have to explain this very obvious issue to you agian? They have 2 very different cores with very different performance levels. This isn't a matter of 2 identical cards with different levels of vram.

And now back to our regularily shceduled programming.

That's what I was and still am saying my good man. Video RAM did jack nothing for the 3060, as per the gamegpu findings above and within the confines of this thread, where people mock the correct settings I am saying. You WILL have to use correct settings either you like it or not.

 

[marees]

That's what I was and still am saying my good man. Video RAM did jack nothing for the 3060, as per the gamegpu findings above and within the confines of this thread, where people mock the correct settings I am saying. You WILL have to use correct settings either you like it or not.

*correct settings" reminds me of this

👇

https://twitter.com/x/status/1970929418844635485

 

[psolord]

16GB was $210 more. No way I was gonna pay that for only 8GB more. I already have other 16GB and 24GB cards for when and if I need them.

That's kinda nuts. It's only 50-70 euros in my country for the 16GB 9060XT and we are not the brightest example of tech pricing...

How would you define GPU power? A GPU could be getting 100+ fps in one game but another game from the same year of release could be kneecapping it with fps in the low teens.

I am always talking within the confines of its gpu generation. This thread is bushing 8GB cards. Well the cheap 12GB card of that generation, also went tits up anyway. What I was saying and still am, is that the 3060ti was way more balanced than the 3060 even was. I am talking about the majority of games and not the few corner case that have been discussed here.

People get more value out of saving money AND cranking settings as high as they can. Something they can't do with 8GB cards.

Cranking settings will first and foremost hammer the gpu power of the card and then the video ram. See the Stellar Blade, screenshot I showed you above. The 3060ti is using 6.5GBs and the 9070 is using 9.5GBs. The 3060ti looks clearer/better and that's not subjective. It's clear as day, because we are talking DLSS vs FSR3 on that specific example.

For my point of view, my trashy 8GB card, did manage to give a VERY convincing 4k output, with very stable image and good graphics. All the test is mumbo jumbo.

 

[psolord]

*correct settings" reminds me of this

👇

https://twitter.com/x/status/1970929418844635485

I am showing you visual evidence and you are showing me text.

Show me that if you use correct settings for an 8GB card, will make the image really REALLY bad and we are talking.

 

[marees]

I am showing you visual evidence and you are showing me text.

Show me that if you use correct settings for an 8GB card, will make the image really REALLY bad and we are talking.

Others (such as Jarred Walton ex-gpu editor at AT & Tom's have made the argument against 8gb cards — screenshots in quoted tweet below)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1940389826991468832

All I have is this screenshot of forza Horizon 5 user
Do you think he cares about "correct" settings 🤔

 

[mikeymikec]

Why don't you guys just use correct settings on psolord's posts?

 

[psolord]

Others (such as Jarred Walton ex-gpu editor at AT & Tom's have made the argument against 8gb cards — screenshots in quoted tweet below)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1940389826991468832

All I have is this screenshot of forza Horizon 5 user
Do you think he cares about "correct" settings 🤔

View attachment 131040

This is Forza Horizon 5 running on my 3060ti and a freagin.....sandy bridge 4/4 2500K. That's on PCIe 2.0 8b/10b for anyone taking notes. Also the recording is done on the same system (extra burden).

Spoiler: psolord's 3060ti forza horizon 5 run

It is running on the Extreme preset. It runs with dynamic resolution but outputs at 4K, which means with DLSS it would look even better. It is very very playable, not ugly and changes like 5 locations in this run. Also judging by the HDD3 measurements, I was using a hard drive for this run.

So.....HOW IS THIS BAD?

 

[psolord]

Why don't you guys just use correct settings on psolord's posts?

I agree.

If everyone would use any shred of logic in this thread and real life realistic usage of an 8GB card, while using its strengths instead of its weaknesses, like I do, that would be great.