Is 8GB of VRAM Really Enough for Gaming? This MSI Laptop Helped Me Find Out

Is 8GB of VRAM Enough for Gaming? This MSI Laptop Helped Me Find Out

Is 8GB of VRAM really enough for gaming? This question has been buzzing around forums, Reddit threads, and YouTube comments for years. As someone who recently tested an MSI laptop equipped with exactly 8GB of dedicated VRAM, I can finally offer some real-world insight into whether this amount of video memory still holds up in today’s gaming landscape.

VRAM, or Video Random Access Memory, is the dedicated memory on your GPU used to store textures, frame buffers, and other graphics-related data. Unlike system RAM, VRAM is directly accessible by the GPU, making it crucial for rendering high-resolution textures and maintaining smooth frame rates. With games becoming increasingly demanding—especially with the rise of ray tracing and 4K textures—many gamers are questioning whether 8GB is the new minimum or if it’s already becoming obsolete.

The MSI Laptop That Sparked the Test

The laptop in question is the MSI Creator Z16, a sleek, creator-focused machine powered by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM. While marketed more toward content creators, its powerful GPU makes it more than capable of handling modern games. I decided to put it through its paces with a variety of titles, from AAA blockbusters to indie darlings, to see how the 8GB VRAM limit would impact performance.

Real-World Gaming Performance

I started with some of the most visually demanding games of the past few years. Titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, and Horizon Forbidden West are known for their high texture loads and complex environments. At 1080p resolution with high settings, the laptop handled these games admirably, maintaining stable frame rates and minimal stuttering.

However, the real test came when I pushed the settings to ultra and enabled ray tracing. In Cyberpunk 2077, for example, the game began to show its limits. While gameplay remained smooth most of the time, I noticed occasional texture pop-in and brief stutters during fast movement through dense urban areas. Monitoring GPU usage revealed that VRAM usage was consistently hovering around 7.5–8GB, meaning the system was constantly bumping against its memory ceiling.

At 1440p, the situation became more pronounced. Higher resolutions naturally require more VRAM to store larger frame buffers and textures. In games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, I saw more frequent dips in performance and longer loading times when transitioning between areas. The system began offloading some data to system RAM, which is significantly slower and resulted in a less fluid experience.

Where 8GB Shines

That said, 8GB of VRAM is far from useless. For 1080p gaming—a still incredibly popular resolution—8GB remains more than sufficient for the vast majority of games. Indie titles, older AAA games, and even many current releases run flawlessly at high settings without ever approaching the memory limit.

Even in newer games, adjusting a few settings can make a big difference. Dropping texture quality from ultra to high, for example, can reduce VRAM usage by 1–2GB in some titles. This simple tweak often eliminates the performance hiccups I experienced, making 8GB a viable option for gamers willing to fine-tune their settings.

The Future of VRAM Needs

So, is 8GB of VRAM enough for gaming? The answer depends on your priorities. If you’re gaming at 1080p or 1440p and aren’t chasing the absolute highest settings, 8GB will serve you well for several more years. However, if you’re aiming for 4K gaming, maxed-out settings, or want future-proofing for the next generation of games, you’ll likely want 12GB or more.

Game developers are increasingly taking advantage of higher VRAM capacities, especially with the popularity of high-resolution texture packs and ray tracing. Titles in development are already being optimized for GPUs with 12GB, 16GB, or even 24GB of VRAM.

Final Verdict

After weeks of testing, my conclusion is this: 8GB of VRAM is still viable, but it’s no longer the sweet spot it once was. For casual and competitive gamers, it’s more than adequate. But for enthusiasts and those investing in high-end laptops like the MSI Creator Z16, opting for a GPU with more VRAM—such as an RTX 4070 or 4080 with 12GB or 16GB—might be a smarter long-term investment.

The MSI laptop proved that 8GB can deliver a great experience today, but the writing is on the wall: the gaming world is moving toward higher memory demands. If you can afford it, future-proofing your setup is the wiser choice.