AMD Claims 8GB VRAM Is Enough for 1080p Gaming, Yet Originally Recommended RX 9060 XT for 1440p

AMD has recently defended the Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB model, asserting that it meets the needs of the majority of gamers who primarily engage with esports titles at 1080p resolution.

Frank Azor Advocates for 8 GB GPUs, While Suggesting 16 GB for Intensive Gaming

The remarks from Frank Azor, AMD’s Chief Director of Gaming Solutions, might come as a surprise, given the company’s previous emphasis on higher VRAM capacities during the launch of the RX 7000 series. Notably, AMD previously criticized NVIDIA for its RTX 40 series GPUs, pointing out their relatively lower VRAM, which can lead to performance limitations in some gaming scenarios.

Despite the introduction of next-gen graphics cards, both AMD and NVIDIA appear to have deprioritized high VRAM configurations for budget-friendly options. Azor highlighted that since most gamers play esports titles at 1080p, the 8 GB variant should suffice, and there are no significant issues with the RX 9060 XT 8 GB.

Majority of gamers are still playing at 1080p and have no use for more than 8GB of memory. Most played games WW are mostly esports games. We wouldn’t build it if there wasn’t a market for it. If 8GB isn’t right for you then there’s 16GB. Same GPU, no compromise, just memory…

— Frank Azor (@AzorFrank) May 22, 2025

Azor also pointed out that for users needing more graphics memory, the 16 GB version is readily available. However, confusion arises from AMD’s marketing strategy; both the 8 GB and 16 GB editions of the NAVI 44 are branded under the same name, “Radeon RX 9060 XT”.This resemblance to NVIDIA’s approach with the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti has drawn criticism for potentially misleading consumers.

When it comes to VRAM capacity, Azor’s statement aligns with trends highlighted in industry reports, particularly those from Steam Charts. Leading titles such as CS: 2, Dota 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, and Apex Legends are primarily classified as esports games. While there are a handful of non-esports games on the charts, many popular titles fall into the competitive multiplayer category, typically requiring no more than 8 GB of VRAM, as evidenced by their large player bases.

However, it’s noteworthy that the RX 9060 XT is not solely targeted towards esports gaming, as per AMD’s own press release. AMD claims the Radeon RX 9060 XT is designed to tackle the most demanding gaming workloads. This duality raises questions, especially considering the company’s repeated assertions of the RX 9060 XT’s capability for “ultra-smooth”1440p gaming. However, performance with intensive AAA titles, even at lower resolutions, may challenge this assertion.

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