VRAM required for 2K Gaming, driving double 2K monitors (single monitor gaming)

[canadianvice]

I'm looking into this as I may wish to get some nice 2K monitors, but what sort of VRAM requirement would I have to satisfy? I tend to like playing on higher settings, but about the most graphically intensive game I have/would have is GTAV.

Also, does anyone have any good GFX recommendations at a good price? ($ CAD)
My preference would be to source from Memoryexpress.

 

[TechyInAZ]

GTX 970 and GTX 980 from NVidia would be what your looking for. 3.5-4GB minimum for 2k gaming.

For AMD, the R9 295X2 or R9 290X 4-8GB models will do also if you want amd.

 

[filippi]

2k = 1080p? You should buy a 2GB GPU at least. A R9 280 3GB would be a great option.

 

[TechyInAZ]

2k = 1080p? You should buy a 2GB GPU at least. A R9 280 3GB would be a great option.

I'm pretty sure 2k is 1440P.

 

[Stardust342]

2k is generally 1440P or 1536p.
4GB frame buffer should be enough... AMD 290 will be the best bang for the buck..
Also, the second monitor won't really use any vram, unless you plan to play games with two monitor eyefinity... which is a bad idea...

 

[filippi]

2k = 1080p? You should buy a 2GB GPU at least. A R9 280 3GB would be a great option.

I'm pretty sure 2k is 1440P.

1440p... I think OP will need at least $275 for 1440p.
This would be enough for a HIS R9 280X iPower IceQ 3GB.
What do you think?

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/MX48689

 

[Stardust342]

280x could probably run most games at high settings 1440p. You might need to turn AA down, and a few other settings on newer games to stay at 60 FPS, but it could definitely do it.

 

[ingtar33]

I'm looking into this as I may wish to get some nice 2K monitors, but what sort of VRAM requirement would I have to satisfy? I tend to like playing on higher settings, but about the most graphically intensive game I have/would have is GTAV.

Also, does anyone have any good GFX recommendations at a good price? ($ CAD)
My preference would be to source from Memoryexpress.

3gb should do alright. generally speaking you need a BARE min of 3gb of vram for 4k, in reality 4gb of vram is probably required for 4k, as it's clear nvidia 3gb cards like the 780ti suffer a bit in 4k while 4gb cards like the r9-290x do pretty good in it. i'd say 3gb should be fine for 1440p

As for best card for 1440p right now?

on the low end a GTX770 or r9-280x could game respectfully in 1440p. though i'd stick to the r9-280x it tends to do a bit better at that resolution, particularly with recent titles which use more then 2gb of vram. That old card is still a beast, and a steal at the $220 price-point it's available at in the states. Understand though, while you could play everything in ultra in 1080p with that card, you'll probably have to play the latest and greatest games in medium/high in 1440p with it. so it's not "great"

the next cards would be the r9-290/r9-290x or GTX 970. Personally i'd probably go with the GTX970 based on noise/heat concerns alone. Understand i'm not an nvidia fanboy, the last 4 gpus I've owned have been 2 nvidia, 2 amd, including an r9-280x. The reality of the matter is if you're planning on gaming in 1440p, the GTX970 is a no brainer. It's a little faster then the two AMD cards (at that resolution), and being a 145W TDP uses half the power... frankly, my current GTX970 doesn't even spin up it's fans when gaming most titles i own. Very quiet, very cold, semi passive. It's a nice card. It's also made, just like the r9-290/290x to pretty much max games in 1440p. frankly spending more then this at 1440p is a bit of a waste of cash, as these 3 cards should max pretty much everything in 1440p

overkill would be the GTX980/TitanX.

 

[canadianvice]

I'm looking into this as I may wish to get some nice 2K monitors, but what sort of VRAM requirement would I have to satisfy? I tend to like playing on higher settings, but about the most graphically intensive game I have/would have is GTAV.

Also, does anyone have any good GFX recommendations at a good price? ($ CAD)
My preference would be to source from Memoryexpress.

3gb should do alright. generally speaking you need a BARE min of 3gb of vram for 4k, in reality 4gb of vram is probably required for 4k, as it's clear nvidia 3gb cards like the 780ti suffer a bit in 4k while 4gb cards like the r9-290x do pretty good in it. i'd say 3gb should be fine for 1440p

As for best card for 1440p right now?

on the low end a GTX770 or r9-280x could game respectfully in 1440p. though i'd stick to the r9-280x it tends to do a bit better at that resolution, particularly with recent titles which use more then 2gb of vram. That old card is still a beast, and a steal at the $220 price-point it's available at in the states. Understand though, while you could play everything in ultra in 1080p with that card, you'll probably have to play the latest and greatest games in medium/high in 1440p with it. so it's not "great"

the next cards would be the r9-290/r9-290x or GTX 970. Personally i'd probably go with the GTX970 based on noise/heat concerns alone. Understand i'm not an nvidia fanboy, the last 4 gpus I've owned have been 2 nvidia, 2 amd, including an r9-280x. The reality of the matter is if you're planning on gaming in 1440p, the GTX970 is a no brainer. It's a little faster then the two AMD cards (at that resolution), and being a 145W TDP uses half the power... frankly, my current GTX970 doesn't even spin up it's fans when gaming most titles i own. Very quiet, very cold, semi passive. It's a nice card. It's also made, just like the r9-290/290x to pretty much max games in 1440p. frankly spending more then this at 1440p is a bit of a waste of cash, as these 3 cards should max pretty much everything in 1440p

overkill would be the GTX980/TitanX.

I think I'd try sticking with NVIDIA. I've heard nothing but problems from my friends concerning AMD cards/procs.

 

[Stardust342]

I think I'd try sticking with NVIDIA. I've heard nothing but problems from my friends concerning AMD cards/procs.

Nvidia has just as many problems as AMD. That's not a discussion for this thread.

 

[canadianvice]

I think I'd try sticking with NVIDIA. I've heard nothing but problems from my friends concerning AMD cards/procs.

Nvidia has just as many problems as AMD. That's not a discussion for this thread.

Well, when my thread asks about graphics cards, I would consider that highly relevant.

 

[Stardust342]

Well, when my thread asks about graphics cards, I would consider that highly relevant.

Forgot you were the OP, if you want to stick with Nvidia, then go ahead. But AMD is better price to performance.

 

[ingtar33]

I'm looking into this as I may wish to get some nice 2K monitors, but what sort of VRAM requirement would I have to satisfy? I tend to like playing on higher settings, but about the most graphically intensive game I have/would have is GTAV.

Also, does anyone have any good GFX recommendations at a good price? ($ CAD)
My preference would be to source from Memoryexpress.

3gb should do alright. generally speaking you need a BARE min of 3gb of vram for 4k, in reality 4gb of vram is probably required for 4k, as it's clear nvidia 3gb cards like the 780ti suffer a bit in 4k while 4gb cards like the r9-290x do pretty good in it. i'd say 3gb should be fine for 1440p

As for best card for 1440p right now?

on the low end a GTX770 or r9-280x could game respectfully in 1440p. though i'd stick to the r9-280x it tends to do a bit better at that resolution, particularly with recent titles which use more then 2gb of vram. That old card is still a beast, and a steal at the $220 price-point it's available at in the states. Understand though, while you could play everything in ultra in 1080p with that card, you'll probably have to play the latest and greatest games in medium/high in 1440p with it. so it's not "great"

the next cards would be the r9-290/r9-290x or GTX 970. Personally i'd probably go with the GTX970 based on noise/heat concerns alone. Understand i'm not an nvidia fanboy, the last 4 gpus I've owned have been 2 nvidia, 2 amd, including an r9-280x. The reality of the matter is if you're planning on gaming in 1440p, the GTX970 is a no brainer. It's a little faster then the two AMD cards (at that resolution), and being a 145W TDP uses half the power... frankly, my current GTX970 doesn't even spin up it's fans when gaming most titles i own. Very quiet, very cold, semi passive. It's a nice card. It's also made, just like the r9-290/290x to pretty much max games in 1440p. frankly spending more then this at 1440p is a bit of a waste of cash, as these 3 cards should max pretty much everything in 1440p

overkill would be the GTX980/TitanX.

I think I'd try sticking with NVIDIA. I've heard nothing but problems from my friends concerning AMD cards/procs.

then you're locked into a gtx 970. it's a great card, i own one.

i would NOT get a 770 for 1440p, 2gb of vram isn't enough and the 4gb versions are far far too expensive to justify a purchase.

as for your friends, i don't know what to tell you. I own both an AMD 8320 + r9-280x and an intel i5-4690k + gtx 970, and ignoring things like power draw or noise i can't tell the difference between the two rigs gaming in 1080p / 60fps. (it's amazing how similar the experience is). that said the AMD system is technologically inferior, so when you bump it up to a better monitor the intel rig jumps out ahead. still anyone who talks about "stuttering" issues with an AMD, or poor performance never owned an AMD, or has one and never owned an Intel/nvidia. you'd be floored at how often the intel stutters. (pretty much just as often as the AMD)

that said i CAN tell the difference based on how the AMD literally heats my room up, and is loud (I've spent a lot of $$ making it quiet, it's just not possible with the overclock i have running). Meanwhile my intel rig is semi-passive. Yes, overclocked cpu/gpu and the fans don't run in this rig except occasionally. Fantastically cool build. I got to try out all the noise canceling things i researched when trying to quiet down the AMD system on this one and MAN is it dead silent. and i'm not even using a "silent" pc case.