The tech needs of PC gamers are always changing because PC gaming is always changing. Video memory (VRAM) is an issue that has caused a lot of talk. When I first heard about it, 8GB of VRAM seemed like a lot, but these days, it’s seen as not enough. Let’s look into why.
The Rise of Games That Demand A Lot
The images in modern games are getting better and better all the time. For higher levels to work smoothly, games like Cyberpunk 2077, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and Red Dead Redemption 2 need more than 8GB of VRAM. This need for memory is made worse by high-resolution images, complicated models, and settings with lots of small details.
Moving rays and VRAM
Ray tracing is a technique that has become standard in video games. It makes lights and shadows look real. But the process uses a lot of VRAM. Games that use ray tracing, like A Plague Tale: Requiem, can be hard on GPUs that don’t have a lot of VRAM. When ray tracing is turned on, the speed is better when the VRAM file is bigger.
The March of Technology Forward
With each new wave of GPUs, games get harder and VRAM needs to be increased. One example is that VRAM got bigger when GPUs switched from Maxwell to Pascal. The GTX 980 had 6GB of memory, the GTX 1080 had 8GB, and the 1080 Ti had 11GB, which let you play games in 4K.
Games are not optimized well.
Games that aren’t tuned well make the problem worse. As hardware gets stronger, writers sometimes put polish ahead of efficiency. Players with powerful GPUs can’t get the most out of their gear because they don’t have enough VRAM.
Qualcomm’s Move into the Market for PC CPUs
As the industry struggles with VRAM limits, Qualcomm is making a lot of noise. The big name in mobile chipsets is now getting into the PC CPU business to fight with Intel and AMD. Their new CPUs, which are made for Windows AI devices, could change the way PCs work. Will Qualcomm’s chips solve the problems with VRAM? Time will tell.
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