VRAM capacity is becoming the main factor in GPU choice, with the expectation that 8GB cards will fade from mainstream markets while 12GB+ baselines and higher-end GPUs with very large VRAM become standard.

Industry data and supplier signals show 16GB GPUs are in strong demand, 8GB models are selling poorly, and Nvidia is using supply controls to stabilize prices.

Modern gaming demands more VRAM due to high-quality textures, ray tracing, and VRAM-intensive features like frame generation, making 8GB cards feel insufficient even in mid-range scenarios.

While engines and technologies such as Unreal Engine 6 will gradually optimize VRAM usage, raw VRAM capacity remains crucial for performance and future-proofing.

8GB VRAM GPUs have fallen out of favor, with 16GB models now the standard among gamers and retailers.

Nvidia’s strategy appears to manage supply to avoid oversupply of 8GB models, reflecting buyer preference for higher VRAM, though pricing and naming confusion persists between 8GB and 16GB variants.

Looking ahead, next-generation GPUs (e.g., RTX 50 Super, RDNA 5) are expected to push VRAM up to 24–32GB, and even consoles may adopt larger memory pools, reinforcing VRAM as a central performance factor.