Throughout CES 2025, Nvidia unveiled its lineup of next-generation GeForce RTX 50 Sequence GPUs. Whereas the desktop GeForce RTX 5090 garnered probably the most awe with its spectacular specs, we additionally noticed laptop computer GPUs — and these cell GPUs may foreshadow what we will anticipate from the as-of-yet unannounced desktop GPUs, just like the RTX 5060.
The laptop computer GPUs are available in RTX 5070, RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5090 flavors. However the factor is, Nvidia’s laptop computer GPUs don’t comply with the identical specs as their desktop counterparts (for apparent causes of smaller type elements and thermal headroom). As a previous instance, the laptop computer RTX 4090 solely had 16GB of VRAM in comparison with its desktop counterpart’s 24GB.
Nvidia
Following that pattern, I see a giant drawback when studying the specs on the laptop computer GeForce RTX 5070. It’s solely coming with 8GB of VRAM, and if we assume the desktop RTX 5060 can be a step down naming smart, then it’s more likely to have 8GB of VRAM, too. (That is purely speculative, as we don’t know any specs or when such a GPU could even launch.)
The 8GB variations of the RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti each confronted important backlash for his or her paltry VRAM. PCWorld’s Brad Chacos even pronounced that the 8GB of VRAM within the RTX 4060 Ti made it a lackluster worth. It wasn’t sufficient again then, and it’s undoubtedly not sufficient now in 2025. To see that on an RTX 5060 or Ti variant could be horrible.
Players don’t need 8GB GPUs in 2025
Video games have been pushing greater textures and ray tracing to an unprecedented diploma over the past a number of years, and each of those are usually VRAM-hungry even at decrease resolutions like 1080p. In the event you’re like me, you in all probability push your recreation settings as excessive as you’ll be able to and simply hope your GPU can cope with it. However with solely 8GB of VRAM in 2025, that’s an more and more arduous ask.
When testing out GeForce RTX 40 Sequence laptops, I discovered that some video games seemed vastly completely different relying on what textures have been loaded on VRAM. For instance, Hogwarts Legacy seemed nice on a cell RTX 4090 with 16GB VRAM however noticeably completely different on an 8GB laptop computer GPU. Even on comparable decrease settings on each machines — settings that the 8GB GPU ought to’ve been capable of deal with — textures have been missing.
Nvidia
The RTX 5070 laptop computer’s 8GB of VRAM was justified by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as an try to “reach a balance.” In a laptop computer, that steadiness rests between value, thermals, and energy draw; for a desktop GPU, steadiness means price and product segmentation. However is it value paying much less for a GPU if it means getting solely 8GB of VRAM? No, if you happen to ask me. Any severe gaming machine wants no less than 12GB of VRAM in 2025.
What might Nvidia do to minimize the sting?
To be honest, the potential 8GB of VRAM in an RTX 5060 will surely have assist from Nvidia’s new {hardware} and applied sciences. There’s the brand new Blackwell structure and its upgraded ray tracing (RT) cores and newer technology tensor cores, plus GDDR7 reminiscence, if Nvidia consists of that with the RTX 5060. These mix with applied sciences like DLSS 4 with Multi Body Technology to assist video games carry out higher.
But, whereas these are nice applied sciences that harness the facility of AI to maximise efficiency, they nonetheless don’t make up for an absence of VRAM. Nvidia must do one thing to reduce the unfavorable impression on gamer thoughts share that’ll be introduced by an 8GB RTX 5060 or 5060 Ti.
One factor Nvidia might do, if there’s an RTX 5060 Ti, is to launch one with 16GB of VRAM off the bat. That is an odd quantity of RAM for this class of GPU, particularly contemplating the RTX 5070 solely has 12GB. However it’s not unprecedented. Nvidia did this very factor with the RTX 4060 Ti 16GB variant regardless of the RTX 4070 at 12GB.
Thiago Trevisan / IDG
Okay, however what concerning the base RTX 5060? I don’t actually see a believable situation the place Nvidia bumps it as much as 12GB, however there are a number of prospects that would reduce the sting.
Have a look at the GeForce RTX 50 Sequence lineup and also you’ll see value drops on varied fashions. The RTX 5070 is now $549 ($50 cheaper than the $599 RTX 4070 Tremendous). Likewise, the RTX 5070 Ti is now $749 ($50 cheaper than the RTX 4070 Ti Tremendous). If Nvidia might someway decrease the entry value of the RTX 5060 additional, I might see how that class of GPU might no less than be an affordable consideration for a lot of. Whereas $249 is likely to be aggressive, even $279 ought to appease some. This wouldn’t negate the truth that 8GB of VRAM continues to be inadequate for a lot of fashionable video games, however hopefully it’ll be considerably acceptable with DLSS 4 in tow.
This will surely assist strike the “balance” that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang talked about, with a extra balanced value to offset the 8GB of VRAM. Nonetheless, 8GB will depart that a part of the market large open for AMD to swing in and seize market share — if it may present extra 12GB and 16GB GPUs at cheap price-to-performance.
Solely time will inform what occurs, however proper now I’m not optimistic. If the RTX 5060 comes out with 8GB of VRAM and it isn’t absurdly low-cost, I’d in all probability decide to spend a little bit extra for the RTX 5070’s 12GB. Then once more, Nvidia might find yourself getting into a shocking course with its desktop GPUs, even with an 8GB RTX 5070 laptop computer already within the wild.
