FEATURED How much GDDR do I need to run my game?

[funsoul]

Hiya folks

Because the question of "how much memory does my gpu need?" seems to come up with some frequency, thought it'd be good to have a thread where people post up their gpu memory usage for the games they play (or want to benchmark).

Hopefully others will add their games/results, etc and fill in resolutions that others didn't (for example, no 1900x1200 from me atm).

-funsoul





Unless otherwise noted all tests were run with the maximum settings allowed by the game or benchmark. Gpu memory usage was logged with MSI Afterburner. The maximum value from the log file excluding the last measurement of the run is what's posted. Testbed was the 3dvision gaming pc in my sig.

[oldtable]Game | 1920x1080 | 5760x1080 | 5760x1080(2xAA) | 3DV1920x1080 | 3DV5760x1080 |
Aliens Vs. Predator | 925.8 | 1329.4 | n/a | 935.7 | 1789.2 |
ARMA2 | 1233.8 | 1684.9 | 1411.8 | 1459.1 | 1660.4 |
Batman: Arkham City | 1553.4 | 2551.3 | 1749.6 | 1794.6 | 1938.2 |
Battlefield 3 (Single Player) | 1550.0 | 2638.6 | n/a | 1620.4 | 2835.6 |
Battlefield 3 (Multi Player) | 2604.8 | 3015.0 | n/a | 2089.1 | 2992.2 |
Crysis | 1364.2 | 2458.2 | fail | 1435.8 | fail |
Crysis 2 | 1848 | | | | |
Dirt Showdown | 1156.5 | 1937.1 | dnr | dnr | dnr |
Far Cry 2 | 1514.9 | 2243.1 | 1602.1 | 1615.1 | 1954.0 |
Just Cause 2 | 1133.3 | 1694.3 | 1354.5 | 1140.7 | 1645.5 |
Left 4 Dead | 702.8 | 1379.6 | 957.0 | 814.8 | 1687.8 |
Left 4 Dead 2 | 670.4 | 1327.5 | 1387.0 | 799.7 | 1877.6 |
Lost Planet 2 | 1536.2 | 2249.2 | 1628.8 | 1641.1 | 2101.8 |
Mafia 2 | 839.1 | 1072.8 | n/a | 598.2 | 1017.3 |
Metro2033 | 1215.6 | 2254.5 | 1721.4 | 1807.9 | 2474.7 |
ProjectCARS | 2700 | 4283 | | | |
Stalker Call of Pripyat | 1368.3 | 2256.8 | 1876.0 | 1615.2 | 2570.1 |
Skyrim (no mods) | 1574.7 | 2552.6 | 1583.8 | 1213.7 | 1598.4 |
Skyrim (with mods, see below) | 1954.7 | 2776.4 | 2300.9 | 1884.6 | 2360.3 |
Sniper Elite | 1974.0 | 3055.1 | n/a | 2426.0 | 4090.8 |
Street Fighter IV | 869.3 | 1534.2 | 1072.7 | 747.6 | 921.2 |
AVERAGE | 1514.5 | 2331.2 | 1553.8 | 1424.4 | 1973.1 |
[/table]
Note: When running some games in 3D @ 5760x1080, my system automatically reduces to 2x AA. The non-3D 5760x1080 with 2x AA figures are shown for comparison purposes. AVP, BF3, Mafia 2 and Sniper Elite did not reduce to 2x AA.

There's a significant gddr penalty incurred when using 3d vision. The tables below shows the 3DV penalty in MB. At 5760x1080, except for AVP, BF3, Mafia 2 and Sniper Elite, the 2x AA figures were used. There's some unexpected weirdness with some of the games so, for now, those are in a separate table.

[oldtable]Game | 1920x1080 | 5760x1080
Aliens vs. Predator | 9.9 | 459.8 |
ARMA 2 | 225.3 | 248.7 |
Batman: Arkham City | 241.2 | 188.6 |
Battlefield 3 (single) | 70.4 | 197.0 |
Crysis | 71.6 | fail |
Far Cry 2 | 100.2 | 351.9 |
Just Cause 2 | 7.4 | 291.0 |
Left 4 Dead | 112.0 | 730.8 |
Left 4 Dead 2 | 129.3 | 490.6 |
Lost Planet 2 | 104.9 | 473.0 |
Metro2033 | 592.3 | 753.3 |
Sniper Elite | 452.0 | 1035.7 |
Stalker Call of Pripyat | 246.9 | 694.1 |
Average | 181.8 | 492.9
[/table]

Oddball results imho. Will need to check these out further.
[oldtable]Game | 1920x1080 | 5760x1080
Battlefield 3 (multi) | -834.1 | -22.8 |
Mafia 2 | -240.9 | -55.5 |
Skyrim (w/mods) | -70.1 | 59.4 |
Skyrim (no mods) | -361.0 | 14.6 |
Street Fighter IV | -121.7 | -151.5 |
[/table]

============================================
Aliens vs. Predator
Notes: Benchmark does not allow changes to settings.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 925.8
5760x1080----- 1329.4

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 935.7
5760x1080----- 1789.2

============================================
ARMA2
Notes: Ran benchmarks 1 and 2.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1233.8
5760x1080----- 1684.9 (1411.8 @ 2xAA)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1459.1
5760x1080----- 1660.4 (@2xAA)

============================================
Batman: Arkham City
Notes: Played until demo time expired, after completing the bullet and interrogation objectives.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1553.4
5760x1080----- 2551.3 (1749.6 @ 2xAA)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1794.6
5760x1080----- 1938.2 (@2xAA)

============================================
Battlefield 3 (single player)
Notes: Played from the start of the game through to destroying the rpgs.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1550 (notJUSTguitar)
5760x1080----- 2638.6

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1620.4
5760x1080----- 2835.6

============================================
Battlefield 3 (multi player)
Notes: Joined a game in progress. Spent 10-15 minutes running around, killing when I could but mostly getting annihilated. One of a few titles where something's weird. Memory usage at 1920x1080 is significantly lower when 3D Vision in enabled.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 2604.8
5760x1080----- 3015.0

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1770.7
5760x1080----- 2992.2


============================================
Call of Duty 2
Notes: 20 minutes walkthrough from clicking start (Amnesiac).

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1600x900----- 412

============================================
Crysis
Notes: Ran the standard benchmark. For some reason am now unable to get this working at 5760x1080.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1364.2
5760x1080----- 2458.2

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1435.8

============================================
Crysis 2
Notes: Courtesy of theELVISCERATOR. Maxed out in game High Res DX 11 Ultra.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1848

============================================
Dirt Showdown
Notes: Played from start through the end of the first race. When doing the 3DV testing was not able to launch the demo anymore.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1156.5
5760x1080----- 1937.1

============================================
Far Cry 2
Notes: Ran the small ranch benchmark.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1514.9
5760x1080----- 2243.1 (1602.1 with only 2x AA)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1615.1
5760x1080----- 1954.0 (@ 2x AA)

============================================
Just Cause 2

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1133.3
5760x1080----- 1694.3 (1354.5 @ 2xAA)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1140.7
5760x1080----- 11645.5 (@2xAA)

============================================
Left 4 Dead
Notes: Played minimum of 1 full co-op game per resolution.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 702.8
5760x1080----- 1379.6 (957.0 @ 2xAA)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 814.8
5760x1080----- 1687.8 (@ 2xAA)

============================================
Left 4 Dead 2
Notes: Played minimum of 1 full co-op game per resolution. Need to re-test non-3DV 5760x1080.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 670.4
5760x1080----- 1327.5 (1387.0 @ 2x AA??)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 799.7
5760x1080----- 1877.6 (@2xAA)

============================================
Lost Planet 2

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1536.2
5760x1080----- 2249.2 (1628.8 @ 2xAA)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1641.1
5760x1080----- 2101.8 (@2xAA)

============================================
Mafia 2
Notes: One of a few titles where something's weird. Memory usage at 1920x1080 is significantly lower when 3D Vision in enabled.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 839.1
5760x1080----- 1072.8

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 598.2
5760x1080----- 1017.3 (@2xAA?)

============================================
Medal of Honor Warfighter
Notes: Motion blur off (Amnesiac)

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1600x900----- 1004 (Amnesiac)

============================================
Metro2033

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1280x768----- 904.3
1152x864----- 1150.4
1360x768----- 1030.2
1024x1068----- 1033.8
1440x900----- 1006.4
1280x1024----- 1021.7
1920x1080----- 1215.6
4800x900----- 1725.2
5760x1080----- 2254.5 (1721.4 @2xAA)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1807.9
5760x1080----- 2474.7 (@ 2xAA)

============================================
Planetside 2
Notes: From Mr Alpha. Peak usage through a big battle.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1600x1200----- 1785

============================================
ProjectCARS
Notes: From Pierre3400. Pre-alpha release. All in-game settings on max with 2x hd7970 6GB cards.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 2700
5760x1080----- 4283

============================================
S.T.A.L.K.E.R Call of Pripyat

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1368.3
5760x1080----- 2256.8 (1876.0 @2xAA)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1615.2
5760x1080----- 2570.1 (@ 2xAA)

============================================
Skyrim (no mods)
Notes: I started a new game and ran through the first scene until entering Helgan's Keep. One of a few titles where something's weird. Memory usage at 1920x1080 is significantly lower when 3D Vision in enabled.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1574.7
5760x1080----- 2552.6 (1583.8 @2xAA)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1213.7
5760x1080----- 1598.4 (@ 2xAA)

============================================
Skyrim (with mods)
Notes: I started a new game and ran through the first scene until entering Helgan's Keep. Mods used- Unofficial Skyrim patch, HD Furniture and Barrels, High Quality Eyes, Improved Rock and Mountain textures, Lush Grass, Lush Trees, No More Blocky Faces, Realistic Smoke and Embers, Realistic Ragdolls and Force, Skyrim HD 2K Textures, STEP, Terrain Bump. One of a few titles where something's weird. Memory usage at 1920x1080 is lower when 3D Vision in enabled.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1954.7
5760x1080----- 2776.4 (2300.9 @2xAA)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 1884.6
5760x1080----- 2360.3 (@ 2xAA)

============================================
Sniper Elite
Notes: Used the benchmark app plus the benchmark tool. All settings on Ultra and max allowed. Since my card only has 4GB of ram, am not fully confident in the 3d vision, 5760x1080 result.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 1974.0
5760x1080----- 3055.1

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 2426.0
5760x1080----- 4090.8

============================================
Street Fighter IV
Notes: One of a few titles where something's weird. Memory usage is significantly lower when 3D Vision in enabled.

Resolution----- Max GDDR Usage (MB)
1920x1080----- 869.3
5760x1080----- 1534.2 (1072.7 @2xAA)

3D Vision:
1920x1080----- 747.6
5760x1080----- 921.2 (@ 2xAA)

 

[Nephilim]

So the general consensus is 2gb will clear you for all 1080 just fine.

 

[EarthDog]

Generally, yes... 1GB just is enough for a lot of titles at 1080p res.

Great work Funsoul! (add BF3 to that list!)

 

[funsoul]

Skyrim's the only 1 so far that could potentially use a card with over 2gig of ram for 1080p. EDIT: Add BF3 multi-player which could use a 3GB card for 1080p :/

Thanks EarthDog. The games with canned benchmarks are easy (although have run into a few that won't cooperate at 5760x1080). Will work on adding more games here next weekend.

 

[funsoul]

Added Battlefield 3 (single-player).

Also re-tested Skyrim (with some ini changes...ugrids=11)...didn't get any change in usage.

UPDATE: Added BF3 multi-player. Highest memory usage of anything tested so far at 2.6GB for 1920x1080, 3GB for 5760x1080.

 

[johan851]

This is really helpful, thanks. Makes it clear at least that 1GB doesn't cut it at those resolutions.

 

[funsoul]

thanks johan851 glad you find it of use. yeah...1g cards are kinda done

 

[Conumdrum]

Thanks funsoul, I got it bookmarked. It shows how times have changed eh?

Glad we are stuck at 1080p for a while for a regular setup.

 

[funsoul]

Thanks funsoul, I got it bookmarked. It shows how times have changed eh?

Glad we are stuck at 1080p for a while for a regular setup.

You're welcome! Geez...remember when having a separate graphics card was a huge deal? hehe Personally, I wish we'd just move on from 1080p. It was one 'innovation' that actually moved a lot of us back a step (1920x1200 > 1920x1080). 1080's done...stick a fork in it.

PS- Finally noticed your monitor...whatcha think of it? Love mine and the v2 3d is a large improvement over 1st gen.

 

[funsoul]

added Batman: Arkham City

Having trouble with a number of games at 5760x1080 (like Ravaged, for example). Anyone have other games in mind that they're curious about? Feel free to request specific games as long as they have either a free demo or benchmarking tool.

 

[Ajay57]

Hi funsoul buddy how does this GDDR5 stack up when using Crossfire or sli set ups? Maybe silly question from my end. Get work thanks for that, just bookmarked it for the future.

 

[funsoul]

Hey Ajay
All these tests are using 3x sli with 4gb cards so I've got a max of 4gig gddr. Just testing max gddr usage so these results will apply to all cards and configurations. Just remember gddr is not additive...the limit is the lowest amount of gddr on a single card (e.g., a 2gig card and 4gig card in sli/cfx, if possible, would still only have 2gig of gddr available). You've got 2gig of available gddr in the config listed in your sig.

 

[Ajay57]

Ok thanks that's what i believed, but was not quite sure, may have 2 cards with 2 GB each but still only 2 GB overall. That's why the next gen cards have 3GB or 4GB now of GDDR5 in the 7900 series. Regards Philip.

 

[MIAHALLEN]

Excellent work funsoul

 

[funsoul]

Thanks MIAHALLEN

 

[notJUSTguitar]

Nice testing, and great formatting.

I can run tests on games too if you want?
I have a 7970 lightning, and 3 1080P monitors in eyefinity and a lot of games.

'Only' 3GB instead of 4gb, so might affect results in a few games that use a lot while running in eyefinity, but should be fine for most games.

 

[funsoul]

Thanks notJUSTguitar

Any contributions would certainly be very welcomed! Rather than re-testing...if you come across games that are missing from here, run those at 1920x1080 and 5760x1080 as those are pretty standard. Just post results here or send them to me and will keep the chart updated. If there are any games where you hit the gddr wall...let me know and I can run those.

Could use someone willing to test at 1920x1200/5760x1200 and other resolutions (like 2560x1440) that us 1080ppheads are missing.

 

[Amnesiac]

HOLY MOLY!. Nearly all games require above 1gB for max at 1080p.

I am surprised. Yes.

 

[LoneWolf121188]

I've seen Skyrim with mods at 1920x1200 at a little over 2GB before. I think it was around 2200MB.

Also, I'll add that X-Plane commonly hits 2400MB at 1920x1200.

 

[notJUSTguitar]

Thanks notJUSTguitar

Any contributions would certainly be very welcomed! Rather than re-testing...if you come across games that are missing from here, run those at 1920x1080 and 5760x1080 as those are pretty standard. Just post results here or send them to me and will keep the chart updated. If there are any games where you hit the gddr wall...let me know and I can run those.

Could use someone willing to test at 1920x1200/5760x1200 and other resolutions (like 2560x1440) that us 1080ppheads are missing.

Will do