Frank Azor, AMD’s Chief Architect of Gaming Options and Gaming Advertising and marketing, shared a put up on X (previously Twitter) final week in response to a gaming account questioning why AMD remains to be providing GPUs with 8GB of VRAM in 2025.
“Majority of players are nonetheless taking part in at 1080p and don’t have any use for greater than 8GB of reminiscence,” Azor wrote. “Most performed video games [worldwide] are largely 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 choices.”
Majority of players are nonetheless taking part in at 1080p and don’t have any use for greater than 8GB of reminiscence. Most performed video games WW are largely 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…May 22, 2025
There’s knowledge to help Azor’s claims—based on the Steam {Hardware} Survey, over half of players (55.27%) are taking part in on 1080p screens. The survey knowledge additionally suggests loads of persons are holding out for extra price range GPUs: One of many prime 5 GPUs amongst Steam customers in 2025 remains to be in some way the GTX 1650, which solely has 4GB of VRAM. The primary GPU as of April is the RTX 4060 laptop computer model with 8GB of VRAM.
Restricted VRAM has develop into a little bit of a sore spot in the course of the present, Nvidia-led GPU doldrums, with 8GB already proving a problem within the greatest, most graphically superior video games.
It is even an open query whether or not the 5070’s 12GB of VRAM is sufficiently “future proof,” and the $379 MSRP of the 8GB 5060 Ti is a tough promote earlier than you even get to the endemic worth bloat from AIB companions.
However with a $299 MSRP, the 8GB RX 9060 XT is a special beast—that’s approaching a really price range worth. With so many players sticking to 1080p, and a few of the greatest video games on the planet being much less demanding “esports” picks like Marvel Rivals, or in any other case darkish horse indie phenoms like Schedule One, REPO, and Palworld, the 9060 XT is shaping as much as be an 8GB card that makes a great deal of sense, one on the dearer facet of “price range.”
Azor’s stance is in keeping with my private gaming expertise, too. I have been gaming on an 8GB Radeon RX 6600 for a few years now and have but to run into efficiency points, even working most of my video games by way of a compatibility layer on Fedora Linux.
Most players do not want a top-of-the-line GPU, and for a while now, it is felt like all the excitement has been round Nvidia’s prohibitively costly 30, 40, and 5090 playing cards, whereas the sub-$350, 1080p set has needed to accept hand-me-downs and mediocrities.
These price range playing cards will not be meant to be hooked as much as high-end screens, and the individuals who can afford a 1440p or 4K gaming monitor should be lifelike in regards to the GPU they will have to energy it.
There is no hurt in providing budget-oriented GPUs for many who want that possibility. It serves to maintain PC gaming extra accessible for many who need to play much less demanding video games like Fortnite or Minecraft, or the treasure trove of implausible indie and retro video games on PC.
When you’re not in that crowd, there’s all the time the 16GB model of the RX 9060 XT, together with loads of different 12GB and 16GB playing cards. Now the one problem is ensuring these juicy MSRPs are literally mirrored in actuality.
