Skyrim breached 2Gb vram@1080p.

tommybhoy · 3 Aug 2012 at 02:07

Been playing around with Skyrim mods and all was good until I installed the Texture Pack Combiner, some stuttering started.

Low and behold I fired up Afterburner and was shocked to see my Vram usage sitting @3995Mb@1080p which of course is 1997Mb each gpu.

The cards in question are 6950>70 CrossFire running 950MHz/1300MHz, these are plenty fast at anything I have thrown at them@1080p, including Skyrim until the texture pack combiner was installed.

I swapped in a 7970 Wind Force and fired up Skyrim again, no stuttering but the vram is now hitting ~2750Mb. :eek:

As imo, the 7970 I used is slower than my CrossFire setup@1080p, it's definitely not gpu grunt at fault, they ran out of Vram!

At this point I should add that this is all being done in 3D via Tridef.

Mods used along with the Texture Combiner(and required files) are:

In game settings:

Not advocating/advising anyone rips out gpu's to replace a 2Gb gpu at all for 1080p gaming, the aim of the post is to be informative and let anyone know that a modded Skyrim can breach 2Gb vram@1080p.

Texture Combiner available here:

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/20801/#content

Final8y · 3 Aug 2012 at 02:20

So it looks like 2560x1600 and up would breach 3GB. what AA levels were you running because i would run 4xAA minimum.

tommybhoy · 3 Aug 2012 at 02:32

^
AA is off as I'm running 3D, haven't tried it with it on but your usually advised to leave it off for 3D.

***Just added to my op settings used and that I'm using 3D.***

Tephnos · 3 Aug 2012 at 02:46

Annnnd that's why I wanted a 4GB card.

Final8y · 3 Aug 2012 at 02:52

Well if i do jump on the 8xxxx, if it still comes in 3GB/6GB then it would have to be the 6GB.

spixelspixel · 3 Aug 2012 at 02:53

Would be great if you could run some tests with the 2 setups with your modded skyrim and run the fraps fps recorder at the same time (which logs the min,max and avg fps)

I presume the 3d increases vram usage?

borley · 3 Aug 2012 at 09:55

I thought cards in crossfire only use the memory limit of one card ie 2 gb?
Regards

Gregster · 3 Aug 2012 at 10:01

borley said:
I thought cards in crossfire only use the memory limit of one card ie 2 gb?
Regards

They do. 2 X 2 69502GB = 2GB of vram. The usage when he switched to the 3GB 7970 is caching VRAM. It is still only using 1997MB but stores VRAM.

Good info Tommy

tommybhoy · 3 Aug 2012 at 10:03

gregster said:
The usage when he switched to the 3GB 7970 is caching VRAM. It is still only using 1997MB but stores VRAM.

Good info Tommy

Dubious about the caching now though gregster, how much of the ~750MB extra usage is actually caching I don't have a clue, but as the 2GB stuttered and the 3Gb didn't, it's definitely using more than 2GB as the stutter is gone.

tommybhoy · 3 Aug 2012 at 10:09

Final8y said:
Well if i do jump on the 8xxxx, if it still comes in 3GB/6GB then it would have to be the 6GB.

At your res and if you are holding onto them for a few years and considering the next gen consoles should be about due, I would say that's your best bet.

spixelspixel said:
Would be great if you could run some tests with the 2 setups with your modded skyrim and run the fraps fps recorder at the same time (which logs the min,max and avg fps)

I presume the 3d increases vram usage?

I think I will be DSR'ing the WF due to coil whine, if I do, I'l collect data from the 6950's too, but I'm afraid I'm not juggling £800+(out of my pocket) worth of gpu's in and out my case for something to break.

I'll find out about the 3D vram usage for you though.

mmj_uk · 3 Aug 2012 at 10:13

Yep most likely VRAM limitation but bear in mind Skyrim with unofficial textures is going to be very unoptimsed, the game isn't exactly efficient with its default Xbox 360 looking textures.

psychodil · 3 Aug 2012 at 10:16

I also hit more than 2gb in outdoor areas at 1080p, although I don't have as many mods as you. I just have the 2k texture mods for all cities and a few character textures installed.

MADMAN · 3 Aug 2012 at 16:10

good to know 3gb can be breached but i feel 2gig is still the right amount for now

andybird123 · 3 Aug 2012 at 16:32

my experience is that 3D does not increase VRAM usage because all 3D does is re-shoots the same frame at a slight offset - so whatever FPS you have is halved for left and right eye, but all the objects, textures etc. are the same so whilst it requires extra GPU grunt to shoot those extra frames for smooth gameplay, it doesn't increase VRAM usage

Sin_Chase · 3 Aug 2012 at 16:33

I can get 2GB of VRAM usage on my GTX680 playing Minecraft.

Still not convinced not having huge VRAM amounts is an issue yet, still some years to go yet.

Nickolp1974 · 3 Aug 2012 at 16:59

spixelspixel said:
Would be great if you could run some tests with the 2 setups with your modded skyrim and run the fraps fps recorder at the same time (which logs the min,max and avg fps)

I presume the 3d increases vram usage?

Remember when you said this

Quote:
Originally Posted by spixelspixel
Vram is not as important as a lot of people think it is.

spixelspixel · 3 Aug 2012 at 17:03

Nickolp1974 said:
Remember when you said this

Quote:
Originally Posted by spixelspixel
Vram is not as important as a lot of people think it is.

Yep and I still think that

andybird123 · 3 Aug 2012 at 17:11

Sin_Chase said:
I can get 2GB of VRAM usage on my GTX680 playing Minecraft.

Still not convinced not having huge VRAM amounts is an issue yet, still some years to go yet.

I can't believe some of the comments on this thread... tommy had experienced a very specific issue which he has found a solution for, the results are as clear as could be and he has posted these results up to help other people who might be either experiencing the same issue or interested in the results, and yet people are making crass generalisations and trying to use that logic to belittle his test and results

at the end of the day, tommy is happy where he's ended up, and other people who play skyrim might also be interested in the results

coming on and saying "minecraft isn't VRAM limited" is hardly helpful to anything

I don't play skyrim so I'm happy with 2GB, but I'm still thankful to tommy for posting up his experience

he even said, he's not advocating people with 2GB ripping them out and replacing, he's just posting up one specific test in one specific game as info for anyone else that plays the same game

spixelspixel · 3 Aug 2012 at 17:20

andybird123 said:
I can't believe some of the comments on this thread... tommy had experienced a very specific issue which he has found a solution for, the results are as clear as could be and he has posted these results up to help other people who might be either experiencing the same issue or interested in the results, and yet people are making crass generalisations and trying to use that logic to belittle his test and results

at the end of the day, tommy is happy where he's ended up, and other people who play skyrim might also be interested in the results

coming on and saying "minecraft isn't VRAM limited" is hardly helpful to anything

I don't play skyrim so I'm happy with 2GB, but I'm still thankful to tommy for posting up his experience

he even said, he's not advocating people with 2GB ripping them out and replacing, he's just posting up one specific test in one specific game as info for anyone else that plays the same game

Sin_Chase is just saying about his experience + opinion, he's not belittling op's post... yours on the other hand...

Boldie007 · 3 Aug 2012 at 17:23

I play Skyrim with the offical High Texture pack @ 5760 x 1080, every setting on highest possible except AA which is 0 X AA. With FXAA enabled my VRAM usage is typically around 1700-1800MB, frame rate is always 60FPS and never drops.

4 X AA however and things grind to a slide show....

If you can live without AA 2GB can be enough VRAM for a great gaming experience even with high res textures at extreme resolutions.