I'm building my first gaming PC and I've narrowed it down to two GPUs: the RTX 5070 and the RX 7800XT. The RTX 5070 performs a little better overall and has advanced features like ray tracing and upscaling, but it only has 12GB of VRAM compared to the 16GB in the 7800XT. I've read that more than 8GB VRAM is a must in 2025, but my brother, who has had a 6GB card for years, says that it's not a major concern. I'm mainly into multiplayer games and some older AAA titles, and I'm fine with 1080-1440p resolution. Will the 12GB VRAM on the RTX 5070 be a dealbreaker, or should I go for the RX 7800XT instead?
5 Answers
While 12GB should be okay now, you might need to lower some settings for 1440p, especially with future games. If you're looking for some future-proofing, 16GB is a safer bet. That being said, the 5070 still provides better features compared to the 7800XT, so it's a solid choice.
Between the RTX 5070 and RX 7800XT, go for the 5070. The additional VRAM of the 7800XT won't compensate for the better performance and features of the 5070. 12GB will be adequate for your needs, especially for gaming at lower resolutions.
If you're gaming at 1080p, 12GB should suffice for a while. However, if you step up to 1440p, expect to make some compromises sooner rather than later. All in all, for now, it’s good enough but keep an eye on future game demands.
Once new consoles come out, we’ll see how that changes things for PC gaming.
For 1080p and 1440p gaming, 12GB VRAM should be sufficient for quite some time, as long as you don't push max graphics with ray tracing. I've managed just fine with an 8GB card for years. The RTX 5070 has really good features like DLSS, which can help squeeze more performance out of it!
Exactly, I’ve got a 12GB 4070 and I won’t upgrade for at least 5-7 years.
Yep, my 3060Ti still gets good FPS even at 1440p, thanks to DLSS and other optimizations.
12GB might face challenges sooner than expected with the latest titles, especially since many are adopting ray tracing engines that will eat into your VRAM. If you're fine with lower settings in a couple of years, 12GB could work, but future AAA titles might push those limits as they become more demanding.
That’s true, developers often don’t optimize for lower VRAM options when newer tech comes out.
Exactly, if new games prioritize VRAM more, you might be stuck with lower settings down the line.
Yeah, it’s about balance – if you stick to 1080p, you should be solid for a bit.