Graphics cards with 8GB VRAM not good enough for 2025 gaming
And don’t even think about ray tracing with small VRAM.
PC Games Hardware conducted an interesting test of graphics cards focusing on the AMD Radeon RX 7600 series. Since AMD launched two nearly identical models (7600XT and 7600) with the same GPU and core count but different memory capacities, it provided an ideal baseline for comparison.
In short, the results are clear: AMD graphics card with 16 GB of memory performs significantly better than their 8 GB counterpart, especially in ray tracing scenarios. More memory allows for smoother gameplay and avoids issues like texture degradation and memory warnings that often occur with 8 GiB cards in newer games. It also reduces the likelihood of automatic detail reduction when VRAM limits are reached.
PC Games Hardware states that if you’re shopping for a new graphics card in 2025, 8 GB is no longer sufficient. While these cards can still handle older games or less demanding setups, they are likely to struggle with modern titles, even at lower settings. For better performance and future-proofing, it’s recommended to choose a card with at least 12 GB of memory.
16GB vs 8GB VRAM test, Source: PC Games Hardware
Overall, the Radeon RX 7600 XT with 16 GB is a great choice for its price, offering excellent performance without compromising on quality. The good news is that all cards released since December have included at least 10 GiB of VRAM. For instance, the Arc B580 launched with 12 GB of memory, while the upcoming B570 will feature 10 GB. Additionally, AMD and its partners have confirmed that the Radeon RX 9070 series will debut with 16 GB of memory.
The big question remains: what about the RX 9060 series, which AMD teased in their CES slide deck? Unfortunately, it’s already known that some 2025 cards will launch with 8 GiB VRAM, though this is limited to models like the RTX 5050 Laptop GPU.
Source: PC Games Hardware
