If the 40 GB RAM rumors for the PS6 are true, PC gamers are in big trouble

Dampf

Dampf

Member
Right now, consoles have 16 GB unified memory. Some of that is allocated for the CPU, some for OS resources. Most of it can be used as video memory at around 448 GB/s bandwidth.

Using simple math: the factor 0,75 of the total RAM in the current gen console RAM is the VRAM you need on the PC side to have a great experience, while the factor 0,5 is the bare minimum.

On the PC side, 12 GB VRAM is plently for current gen games, while 8 GB VRAM is the minimum.

You can tell this formular works by applying it to the older console generation:

PS4: 8 GB RAM. 8 GB x 0,75 = 6 GB VRAM on the PC side. 6 GB VRAM was more than enough, while 4 GB VRAM was the minimum in many late gen titles.

Now, let's use the same calculation on a hypothetical PS6 with 40 GB RAM... And that is 20 GB at minimum, 30 GB VRAM for smooth sailing.

This means, any GPU besides the 5090 will not be able to run true next gen games at comparable visual quality settings to the PS6, simply because Nvidia has been very stingy with VRAM.

Even if we take the handhelds into account, 36 GB RAM x 0,5 -> you would need 18 GB VRAM to run true next gen games decently. These handhelds still have vastly more memory bandwidth than your usual DDR5 setup (80 GBs vs 200 GB/s).

Now, there's a possibility the rumors are BS and consoles are just going to have 24 GB RAM. In that case, 16 GB VRAM would be plenty. But what about all the 8 GB GPUs Nvidia released? And what about expensive 12 GB VRAM becoming the bare minimum of next gen games then?

I think Nvidia really fucked up badly here. Sadly though I almost suspect when cutting edge next gen games release and games won't run well on these GPUs, people will just blame bad optimization instead of recognizing it is Nvidia who sold them insufficient GPUs.

Edit: since many people only read the OP, listen carefully:

I'm not talking about PC gaming as a whole here. Obviously the PC platform is going to evolve, obviously the PC GPU that releases after the PS6 launch is going to beat the hell out of PS6.

I'm talking about PC gamers who bought a RTX 5070 or RTX 5080 right now and expect it to do well for next gen games. THOSE PC gamers MIGHT be in trouble IF, and only IF, the PS6 is going to have more than 24 GB unified memory! For cross gen games, on max settings, for next gen games at lower settings, even.

I'm not talking about PC as a whole, this is no console people vs PC people war bullshit. Sorry for the misleading thread title.
 
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Work Working GIF by jjjjjohn
 
hypothetical PS6 with 40 GB RAM.

There you go, you said it yourself. Also having 40GB and using them are two different things. My 4090 never used all of its RAM, and if you think PS6 games will use that 40GB when they come out, you're wrong.
Then by the time they could be used on PS6, PC will already be catching up and even have overtaken the PS6.

vkbest said:
You can waste.. I mean spend another $2000 in your GPU sure.
Click to expand...
It's ok if you don't have any money to spend into your hobby, but don't act like a biter troll. Also PS6 price is most likely to be very, VERY funny.

Dampf said:
If you really are satisfied with a PC GPU you bought for over $1000 only lasting two years until a less expensive console renders it obsolete, then I don't know what to tell you.
Click to expand...
My 4090 is 3 years old and it's eating the PS5 Pro for breakfast. Not sure the PS6 will even surpass it if we consider DLSS/FG.
 
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I don't think there's anything to worry about. At the current pace the entire Ps6 generation will probably consist of cross-gen Ps5 titles anyway.
 
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DenchDeckard said:
OP thinks Devs are going to utilise 40GB of memory on a console vs millions of PC configs

We laugh

its over for us PC bros
Click to expand...
Games will still scale of course, especially during cross gen.

But for highest texture quality and AI features, you will need more VRAM than half of the total memory of the next console.
 
The RTX 6000 Ada has 48GB. The question is rather how much more insane will get consumer variants of these, since this one costs somewhere around 5000$ or 7000€.
or go full professionell: RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell 96GB for 9000$ 🥴
 
Hyet said:
I did pay that for my entire PC back in 2021.
I wonder how much a hypotetica PS6 would cost but the pro and ever increasing prices don't paint a great picture for console crowd either.
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PS5 increasing the price of the console, means I can sell my old PS5 at higher price, so the console don't lose value (until PS6 release). Your PC in only one year is losing much more value
 
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KyoZz said:
My 4090 is 3 years old and it's eating the PS5 Pro for breakfast. Not sure the PS6 will even surpass it if we consider DLSS/FG.
Click to expand...
Your 4090 has 6 GB more VRAM than the total amount of RAM the PS5 Pro has, so no surprises here and irrelevant to the discussion. You are not at all VRAM limited.

That is

1. either going to change drastically if the next gen consoles have 36 GB RAM and more
2. not going to change at all if next gen consoles have 24 GB of total RAM. In this case your 4090 is going to last a long, long time. Congrats.
 
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Dampf said:
Your 4090 has 8 GB more VRAM than the total amount of RAM the consoles have, so no surprises here and irrelevant to the discussion. You are not at all VRAM limited.

That is

1. either going to change drastically if the next gen consoles have 36 GB RAM and more
2. not going to change at all when consoles have 24 GB of total RAM.
Click to expand...
PC games already uses more VRAM than consoles you do realise that... right? It's just not needed. PS6 can have 300GB RAM we don't care, having them and using them are two VERY different things.
 
The system is rumored to have a 192-bit GDDR7 bus, which means the likely bet is it's going to have 18 (6x3GB) or 24GB (either 12x2 and/or 6x4GB).
 
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vkbest said:
PS5 increasing the price of the console, means I can sell my old PS5 at higher price, so the console don't lose value (until PS6 release). Your PC in only one year is losing much more value
Click to expand...
Are resellers buying PS5s at prices above previous MSRP?
I also don't have to change my entire PC to keep up lol
 
KyoZz said:
PC games already uses more VRAM than consoles you do realise that... right? It's just not needed. PS6 can have 300GB RAM we don't care, having them and using them are two VERY different things.
Click to expand...
Because games are built for current gen consoles currently, that's why not more is needed. Games use more VRAM on PC if they use PC specific features like path tracing.

Of course next generation will increase the VRAM floor on the PC, just like every other console generation has...
 
I wanna see that console first. Also i am totally fine with it when consoles are not immediately outdated the moment they arrive.
 
Hyet said:
Are resellers buying PS5s at prices above previous MSRP?
I also don't have to change my entire PC to keep up lol
Click to expand...
I bought a PS5 on 2020 (release) for 500€. I sold the same PS5 four years after for 400€. I bought the PS5 Pro for 800€, that means, both PS5 and Pro I got for 800€ in total (the same PS5 pro price)

Now how much you spent on your PC and how much you can get now?

Sure, you only "need" upgrade your CPU and GPU, the most priced hardware pieces in your PC.

EDIT: a 2080 in 2020 was around 750-800€, you can get one now for 200€. So in the same period, PS5 you lose around a 25% of original value. 2080 is losing around a 75% of its original value.
 
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Dampf said:
Because games are built for current gen consoles currently, that's why not more is needed. Games use more VRAM on PC if they use PC specific features like path tracing.

Of course next generation will increase the VRAM floor on the PC, just like every other console generation has...
Click to expand...
You are assuming a lot of things lol.

Diminishing returns. I'm not sure dev will actually need more than the 24GB of the 4090 before the end of the PS6. We will see, but the point you made anyway was than PS6 will overtaken PC and that "PC gamers are in big trouble". It wont, PC gamers will be fine just like with every gen, we have this kind of discussion and every gen it ends the same.

Enjoy your console! It's good for what it's supposed to do but the high end gaming experience will always, ALWAYS be on PC
 
KyoZz said:
You are assuming a lot of things lol.

Diminishing returns. I'm not sure dev will actually need more than the 24GB of the 4090 before the end of the PS6. We will see, but the point you made anyway was than PS6 will overtaken PC and that "PC gamers are in big trouble". It wont, PC gamers will be fine just like with every gen, we have this kind of discussion and every gen it ends the same.

Enjoy your console! It's good for what it's supposed to do but the high end gaming experience will always, ALWAYS be on PC
Click to expand...
If not for texture quality, we will need it for running real time AI, LLMs, VLMs, physics models etc. for far more interactive worlds people want. AI needs a ton of high bandwidth memory.

I don't have a PS5/Series. I'm not sure why NeoGAF immediately assumes this to be a war of console people vs PC people, that's bs. I'm a PC gamer too but on a 6 years old laptop that I plan to upgrade when Nvidia actually makes compelling products for once that can last for a very long time. Current market is a complete disaster because these cards have insufficient VRAM for next gen.

Also, people need to stop buying these trash tier products. Otherwise Nvidia won't learn it.

Also yes, the best experience will always be on PC, but only if you buy the latest and greatest. For RTX 5080 people it's going to be a rude awakening when the PS6 really has that amount of memory. When they expect it to use max textures in the latest games but have to set it down
 
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Maddoxswe said:
Fuck, we're in trouble, PC fam. All of our GPUs are stuck in the cases and we can't change them. Damn, OP, you're onto something.
Click to expand...
And we can't expand our RAM either. Fuck, if only there were motherboards that even back in 2017 could support up 64 GB RAM (like mine) or current mobos that could already support up to 256 GB...
But no, and we can't absolutely at all imagine Nvidia or AMD releasing 64 GB VRAM GPUs, because apparently console manufacturers have magic providers that give them unattainable hardwa... oh wait, they work with Nvidia and AMD.


Ponder Inspector Gadget GIF
 
Dampf said:
If not for texture quality, we will need it for running real time AI, LLMs, VLMs, physics models etc. for far more interactive worlds people want. AI needs a ton of high bandwidth memory.

I don't have a PS5/Series. I'm not sure why NeoGAF immediately assumes this to be a war of console people vs PC people, that's bs. I'm a PC gamer too but on a 6 years old laptop that I plan to upgrade when Nvidia actually makes compelling products for once that can last for a very long time. Current market is a complete disaster because these cards have insufficient VRAM for next gen.

Also, people need to stop buying these trash tier products. Otherwise Nvidia won't learn it.
Click to expand...
Show me were those 40GB are coming from please. And yes, you look like a warrior with the clam you made, anyone with a brain would understand than PC is constantly evolving so no need to make bait thread.

Are you an alt of Rofif? "I'm shitting on PC and say dumb shit I don't understand but I swear I love PC gaming!!"
 
Dampf said:
If you really are satisfied with a PC GPU you bought for over $1000 only lasting two years until a less expensive console renders it obsolete, then I don't know what to tell you.
Click to expand...
It's not that, it's a certain number of games that ironically determines your rig worth. Some admit it, some don't, but it's the damn truth.
 
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Dampf said:
Right now, consoles have 16 GB unified memory. Some of that is allocated for the CPU, some for OS resources. Most of it can be used as video memory at around 448 GB/s bandwidth.

Using simple math: the factor 0,75 of the total RAM in the current gen console RAM is the VRAM you need on the PC side to have a great experience, while the factor 0,5 is the bare minimum.

On the PC side, 12 GB VRAM is plently for current gen games, while 8 GB VRAM is the minimum.

You can tell this formular works by applying it to the older console generation:

PS4: 8 GB RAM. 8 GB x 0,75 = 6 GB VRAM on the PC side. 6 GB VRAM was more than enough, while 4 GB VRAM was the minimum in many late gen titles.

Now, let's use the same calculation on a hypothetical PS6 with 40 GB RAM... And that is 20 GB at minimum, 30 GB VRAM for smooth sailing.

This means, any GPU besides the 5090 will not be able to run true next gen games at comparable visual quality settings to the PS6, simply because Nvidia has been very stingy with VRAM.

Even if we take the handhelds into account, 36 GB RAM x 0,5 -> you would need 18 GB VRAM to run true next gen games decently. These handhelds still have vastly more memory bandwidth than your usual DDR5 setup (80 GBs vs 200 GB/s).

Now, there's a possibility the rumors are BS and consoles are just going to have 24 GB RAM. In that case, 16 GB VRAM would be plenty. But what about all the 8 GB GPUs Nvidia released? And what about expensive 12 GB VRAM becoming the bare minimum of next gen games then?

I think Nvidia really fucked up badly here. Sadly though I almost suspect when cutting edge next gen games release and games won't run well on these GPUs, people will just blame bad optimization instead of recognizing it is Nvidia who sold them insufficient GPUs.
Click to expand...
No Way Reaction GIF
 
I'm saying this as a console gamer:
I think ps6 is autumn 2027 the earliest with about 5 years of crossgen gaming. So they have about until 2032 to upgrade, I don't think they are in any trouble at all.
 
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