Yes, a dedicated GPU will have its memory, called VRAM, just like your PC does (video RAM). And, like RAM, insufficient VRAM might cause performance issues.
How much you have will be determined by the GPU you have, and how much you require will be determined by the programs you utilize.
The distinction between system RAM and VRAM
System RAM and VRAM are quite similar in that they both have modest capacities and are extremely fast.
However, they are not the same because system RAM is designed for CPUs, and VRAM is designed for GPUs, and these two processors have quite distinct requirements. System RAM has a low latency (which is excellent), but a limited memory bandwidth.
VRAM, on the other hand, provides incredibly high memory bandwidth but substantially higher latency. It all comes down to the reality that CPUs require low latency more than GPUs require high bandwidth.
Another significant distinction between system RAM and VRAM is upgradeability. System RAM can be easily upgraded by simply plugging in a new stick or replacing an existing one.
However, VRAM cannot be upgraded by the user (outside of extreme hardware modification with a soldering iron). This means that whichever GPU you buy will have whatever amount of memory it has.
This isn’t a design flaw or a circumstance where GPU manufacturers want you to buy a new GPU every time. The underlying explanation is that GPUs can only be linked with a limited amount of RAM, which is determined by memory bus width. CPUs can handle unusual RAM configurations, but GPUs cannot.
Gaming
If you’re a player, there’s good news: gaming GPUs are often well-designed. Whatever VRAM is available on your GPU is likely to be sufficient.
There may be occasions where having more memory would be advantageous, but AMD, Nvidia, and game developers are rather adept at exploiting hardware and software methods to preserve memory. Furthermore, it’s much more likely that the GPU will hit its limit before you require more VRAM.
However, there are certain exceptions. Some games aren’t well optimized, so you’ll have to experiment with graphics settings to obtain great performance, and if you’ve ever modded a game like Skyrim, you’ve heard graphics mods that claim you need a GPU with a lot of VRAM.
In some circumstances, a higher-end GPU may be required because lower-end GPUs typically do not have a lot of VRAM.
The RTX 3060, on the other hand, features an incredible 12 GB of VRAM, just like the RTX 3080 Ti, and it’s $329 MSRP places it solidly in the midrange.
Only the most recent AAA games running at 4K resolution with everything turned up to ultra require anything close to that much VRAM, and even then, you’d need a super high-end card, so making sure your GPU is current and as high-end as you need and can afford is more important than worrying about VRAM.
Productivity
Professional work, such as AutoCAD or Adobe Premiere Pro, will almost certainly require more VRAM than most games.
However, just like gaming GPUs, workstation GPUs frequently come with appropriate levels of VRAM, and on average, these types of GPUs have more VRAM than their gaming counterparts, at least at the high end. AMD’s top-tier PRO W6800 has 32GB of memory, whereas Nvidia’s RTX A6000 has 48GB, which is overkill for most users.
Modern GPUs with 8GB to 12GB of VRAM are required to achieve minimal requirements, according to Nvidia’s Professional Solution Guide. You can, however, possibly get away with less VRAM. The minimum VRAM requirement for Adobe Premiere Pro is 2GB, with 4GB to 6GB suggested. The “basic” requirement for Autodesk AutoCAD calls for 1GB of VRAM but is recommended 4GB.
It’s best to have more memory than you require, which is especially crucial for GPUs because VRAM cannot be upgraded.
According to Nvidia and Adobe, you’ll need at least 4GB for light work, and finding a current-generation or older GPU with 4GB shouldn’t be too difficult.
If your job requires you to edit videos in Premiere Pro or create models in Autodesk Maya, you’ll want to spend more to obtain a GPU with at least 8GB of VRAM, even if it’s not current-gen.
Should I be concerned about my excessive memory usage?
Most individuals have probably looked at Task Manager or other monitoring software and noticed that practically all of their VRAM is being used while gaming or working.
It’s fair to be concerned about this, but there’s no need to be concerned until your performance is worse than predicted and your GPU memory consumption is continuously at 100%. Your GPU is intelligent and uses that memory for a reason.
The problem with memory use is that the name is deceptive. Task Manager displays all of the data that is currently being used, not all of the memory that is being used by data.
That may appear to be the same thing, but it is not. GPUs can transfer data in and out of memory as needed or store data in memory for later use.
Final thought
However, if you run out of VRAM, your computer will come to a halt. If you’re gaming, expect major frame-rate dips, and if you’re editing a movie, you’ll find that scrubbing over the timeline is suddenly less responsive.