RX480 4GB or 8GB for 144hz 1080p freesync?

[felix5]

Hi everyone, I am trying to decide between a 4GB or 8GB RX480 video card for my computer with a new 144hz freesync 1920x1080 monitor (Asus MG248Q). Would the 8GB help at all in getting my computer to run games stable without crashing? Or would there not be much difference if I go with 4GB?

My system : i5-6600K, 16GB DDR4, EVGA G2 750W

My current Gigabyte GTX970 4GB Mini is having crashing problems and will need to RMA (I bought it used, seller also had problems running more intensive games like Overwatch, ARK, etc). The model is : GV-N970IXOC-4GD

 

[Sushisamurai]

the RAM shouldn't be the cause of game stability - to sum it up, it pretty much allows textures and the like to be stored in the VRAM. Overwatch even on 1080P epic only takes up 1.1 GB of VRAM; Rise of the Tomb Raider is the only game I know of atm that has an epic settings that requires 4GB or greater, which the 970 won't do due to its RAM partitioning.

 

[alcoholbob]

Only a couple games actually benefit more from 8GB vs 4GB right now. Tomb Raider and and Shadow of Mordor have about 50% higher minimum fps with an 8GB card vs 4GB on higher texture settings but for the majority of games you won't notice a difference generally.

 

[redzo]

Games do not crash if they require more vram. They just run slower or you wont be able to max out all that fancy image quality settings.

1. I wouldn't consider the rx480 as an upgrade over your gtx970. Don't expect a consistent increase in fps. Your gonna be disappointed.

2. Get the 8GB version if your plan is to keep this gpu for a while.

2.1 For the rx480, the 8GB version is a little faster than the 4GB one.
2.2 While today 4GB is enough for max settings at 1080p, 2017 titles may push IQ even further and having more than 4GB may come in handy.

 

[3DVagabond]

Games do not crash if they require more vram. They just run slower or you wont be able to max out all that fancy image quality settings.

1. I wouldn't consider the rx480 as an upgrade over your gtx970. Don't expect a consistent increase in fps. Your gonna be disappointed.

2. Get the 8GB version if your plan is to keep this gpu for a while.

2.1 For the rx480, the 8GB version is a little faster than the 4GB one.
2.2 While today 4GB is enough for max settings at 1080p, 2017 titles may push IQ even further and having more than 4GB may come in handy.

Agree with everything you said. I would add though that the 970 is a card who's performance is in retrograde. Today, the 480 is only marginally faster in DX11 titles. In DX12 and Vulkan it's appreciably faster and as time goes on the "legacy status" 970 is going to only get worse.

 

[Sushisamurai]

8GB would probably be a better choice. I have 3GB 280X, thinking that was enough, and 2 years later 4GB is pretty much the bare minimum for new games these days (if you want all the settings cranked up)

 

[Flapdrol1337]

I'd say it depends on the price.

I'm running a 2GB card, and while memory is a problem on ultra, it's certainly not the only problem.

Where I live the 8GB cards in stock aren't that much more expensive. Might as well get the 8GB in that case. But I'm waiting for prices to drop before upgrading.

 

[Mercennarius]

Go 8GB. No one has ever regretted going with more VRAM because as time goes on more VRAM becomes more and more important. Today 4GB is the minimum, 6GB is decent, 8GB is preferred.

 

[DamZe]

With modern games dumping more textures and what not into vRAM, 8 GB becomes the new "standard". So I would go for the 8GB model just to be sure not to choke on those ultra textures.

 

[Face2Face]

the RAM shouldn't be the cause of game stability - to sum it up, it pretty much allows textures and the like to be stored in the VRAM. Overwatch even on 1080P epic only takes up 1.1 GB of VRAM; Rise of the Tomb Raider is the only game I know of atm that has an epic settings that requires 4GB or greater, which the 970 won't do due to its RAM partitioning.

I'm seeing over 3.5GB of VRAM usage here...

 

[felix5]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I guess I'll see what is released and buy a 8GB model only if it's not much more than 4GB model. Wish they had released the RX490 or more powerful new AMD card to go with these 144hz freesync monitors as I think another upgrade would be needed down the road to play newer games at max quality settings.

Any recommendations on which RX480 has the best cooler/build? After having bad experience with the last video card, we would like to try something more reliable and problem free. Do they all draw power from the power supply only or are some models still drawing from PCI-e slot?

 

[xLegenday]

https://www.computerbase.de/2016-07/powercolor-radeon-rx-480-red-devil-test/

Very good card, extremely balanced cooler with great performance running very quiet.
They offer dual GPU but according to the article their ultra overclock mode is already quiet.

 

[felix5]

https://www.computerbase.de/2016-07/powercolor-radeon-rx-480-red-devil-test/

Very good card, extremely balanced cooler with great performance running very quiet.
They offer dual GPU but according to the article their ultra overclock mode is already quiet.

hmmm ... I remember Powercolor from when I had their graphics card 15 years ago. They made low quality defective cards and support was terrible. I am surprised they are still around, LOL!

How is the Asus Strix? The cooler is big and seems to have bigger fans.

 

[DamZe]

hmmm ... I remember Powercolor from when I had their graphics card 15 years ago. They made low quality defective cards and support was terrible. I am surprised they are still around, LOL!

How is the Asus Strix? The cooler is big and seems to have bigger fans.

For AMD Cards, SAPPHIRE is the way to go, they are Premium AMD Radeon partners. I bought two, a HD7870 for myself and a HD5770 for my sister back in the day, and both cards were rock solid and cool. You can't go wrong with SAPPHIRE IMHO.

 

[redzo]

http://sapphirenitro.sapphiretech.com/en/480-8.html#specifications
Sapphire sells two rx480 8GB custom nitro versions.
One is marketed as "lite" by my local sellers and it features minus 38Mhz on max boost. I wouldn't bother with this. Don't think that it is worth it if they ask a price premium for it. Get the cheapest one!

http://www.powercolor.com/us/produc...=&ByIntention=&ByUniqueFeature=&submit=Search
The power color red devil rx480 is at least as impressive just like the nitro. Pretty much all reviewers say so.

You can't go wrong with either one. Between those two(nitro and red devil) I would purchase the cheapest one I can find.

 

[xLegenday]

hmmm ... I remember Powercolor from when I had their graphics card 15 years ago. They made low quality defective cards and support was terrible. I am surprised they are still around, LOL!

How is the Asus Strix? The cooler is big and seems to have bigger fans.

PowerColor used to be a budget AMD brand, but they improved a lot since then and now they have impressive line up.
Have one of their Devil13 cards and the build quality is extremely good.

Also looks like they have a live chat support for their premium Devil series, which you don't see almost any other brand.

 

[redzo]

Nowadays everybody builds both premium and budget products. Every market segment gets the treatment.
They also used to sell nvidia a long time ago.
http://www.cnet.com/products/powercolor-sniper-m-graphics-card-tnt2-m64-32-mb-series/