We’re at present caught in a PC market where RAM acquisition is the main concern, as costs skyrocket as a result of ongoing AI growth, with shoppers left to pay up or wait patiently for value drops, particularly for the best gaming laptops.
You could be questioning why that issues in regard to the MSI Katana 15 HX B14W gaming laptop computer. Powered by the Nvidia RTX 5070 (laptop computer GPU), the Katana 15 HX B14W can be restricted to 8GB of VRAM.
Maybe 8GB of VRAM isn’t so bad after all?
It’s not unreasonable to expect an 8GB GPU to provide good performance in games that don’t have demanding system requirements, but the real question is, how well can it perform in some of the most demanding games of the last decade?
That’s exactly what I put to the test; in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p utilizing DLSS balanced on the extremely graphics preset, I managed a mean of 90fps, which may be very spectacular contemplating how nice Nvidia‘s DLSS 4 is in picture high quality, because of the transformer mannequin changing the previous CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) mannequin.
A step as much as the extremely ray tracing graphics preset gave me a mean of 54fps, and it is no secret that Cyberpunk 2077‘s ray tracing is not any straightforward hurdle for any graphics playing cards to leap over, in order that’s one other optimistic for the Katana 15 HX’s RTX 5070.
Enabling Frame Generation (not Multi-Frame Generation) made efficiency outcomes significantly better in Cyberpunk 2077, with a mean of 115fps. Since the bottom body charges have been excessive sufficient, enabling body gen wasn’t going to considerably worsen picture high quality (though visible artifacts are nonetheless considerably noticeable), and gameplay felt clean and responsive.
It’s worth noting that not all games tested feature ray tracing and DLSS Frame Generation technology. Titles such as Shadow of the Tomb Raider ran exceptionally, with an average of 160fps at 1440p ultra graphics settings using DLSS on balanced, with frame gen absent.
Performance in most titles also got better at 1080p, and a prime example is Monster Hunter Wilds. At 1440p DLSS Balanced on ultra settings, I got an average of 55fps, and saw a 21% performance increase when dropping down to 1080p, with a 66.51fps average.
However, as expected, 8GB wouldn’t be a point of contention for consumers for no reason, and my tests in VRAM-hungry games like Black Myth Wukong, Monster Hunter Wilds (in central hubs), and Assassin’s Creed Shadows proved that.
When trying to make use of Frame Generation in Black Myth Wukong, VRAM utilization would hit 7.1GB, utilizing virtually all 8GB, – not preferrred for efficiency. An identical case was current throughout testing of Assassin’s Creed Shadows (a recreation that has ray tracing enabled by default), the place base body charges have been low, and enabling Frame Generation hardly elevated the body fee, however solely considerably elevated VRAM utilization.
In instances of poorly optimized video games, like Monster Hunter Wilds, stability and efficiency with fixed stutters obtained worse as VRAM was virtually maxed out when in central hubs and camps in-game, with out utilizing Frame Generation.
8GB VRAM isn’t future proof, and the RAM crisis is a major worry
While I’m impressed with how well 8GB of VRAM is able to hold up for gaming based on the Katana 15 HX benchmarks, it doesn’t mean I’m particularly happy with it. Games are becoming more demanding on system requirements year by year, and while we can see that such configurations can handle heavy games like Cyberpunk 2077, it’s also evident that 8GB is close to hitting limits in games that need more VRAM.
With the current RAM crisis leading to price hikes across the board, latest reviews estimate that we’ll be seeing extra 8GB RAM specs on laptops and PCs, which might in the end scale back manufacturing prices. If 8GB of VRAM is already displaying indicators of being inadequate for contemporary gaming, then a return to 8GB system RAM will solely make efficiency worse.
Games are already starting to launch with system necessities that embody a necessity for at the very least 16GB of RAM, and 32GB is being pushed as the best quantity for good efficiency, so 8GB alone might trigger vital issues for steady efficiency.
It’s not simply the autumn again all the way down to 8GB for VRAM and RAM that is a difficulty, but additionally the potential that these programs would price greater than they usually would, considerably decreasing bang-for-the-buck.
I’m not suggesting that the MSI Katana 15 HX is a foul gaming laptop computer, no. It’s greater than sufficient for price range avid gamers who do not thoughts gaming at 1080p or 1440p resolutions whereas utilizing upscaling.
After all, the RTX 5070 is a midrange laptop computer GPU. However, this gaming laptop computer and plenty of others that use 8GB specs will greater than seemingly wrestle with upcoming video games – and sadly, I do not suppose we’ll be seeing the top of 8GB VRAM or RAM configurations any time quickly.
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