How much Vram will I need?

[Pmckenna]

Hi guys &gals!

 

This is my first post on the step project forums so, apologies if this is in the wrong section.

 

Im in the process of building my first pc, I've got everything I need so far but I'm still undecided on a 2gb or 4gb GPU. So my Q is...  

 

How much vram is required to use all the mods in S.T.E.P?

 

 

EDIT: forgot to mention, I'll be using an Asus gtx 670 directCU II (non top version) and I'll be playing at 1080p on a single monitor.

 

Thanks,

 

P

[Besidilo]

Resolution, anti-aliasing used, textures resolution, additional mods... without knowing those, there's no way to tell.

 

IMHO:

 

1280x720 and below -> 512MB VRAM

1440x900 to 1680x1050 -> 1GB VRAM

1920x1080 to 1920x1200 -> 1.5GB VRAM

2560x1440 to 2560x1600 -> 2GB VRAM

Eyefinity/Nvidia Surround -> as much as you can

 

You should be fine playing full STEP with 2K/4K textures and SMAA, assuming there's enough rendering power in the first place.

 

I'm almost hitting the limit with my GTX 580 1.5GB when using 2K resolution textures at 2560x1440.

[Pmckenna]

Hi Besidilo,

 

Perhaps I was a bit too vague, I'll give as much info as I can.

GPU will be an Asus gtx 670 directCU II (non top) and I'll be playing at 1080p. AA if my card still allows it with mods installed.

 

Hopefully S.T.E.P has all the mods I need, (can't seem to find a full list, only 2.2.0 changelog??) if not I'll probably use a few more texture/armour/weapon mods, additional homes and a good realistic looking ENB.

 

Bonus Q... What kind of fps can I expect when using full step?

 

Thanks again.

 

EDIT: You guys do great work btw :D

[rootsrat]

This may give you some idea:

 

I have Gigabyte GTX570 Super Over Clock 1,2 VRAM, I run most of the STEP mods + Bethesda HD DLC. Use Skyrim 2kHD Lite version, the rest as per the STEP guide, selecting medium or high where available. Also run Automatic Variants with all the availble packs apart from Cute Critters or whatever it's called. On top of that - Project ENB (with SSAO, but not the high version, think it was the medium). Plus a few other mods, like Convenient Horses etc.

 

With this setup my 1,2 VRAM was not enough, I was getting freezes (mainly in Whiterun Stables area) that made the game unplayable. After using Optimizer Textures it is playable, but it stutters a bit. I have however not fully tested it. Yesterday I run into 2 dragons (Deadly Dragons Loremonger + Bellyache's dragon textures) and it killed my VRAM, was getting freezes again. Not playable.

 

This may give you SOME idea at least...

 

I think that getting 2GB VRAM card is a minimum if you want to run Sky on Ultra + all the high quality textures... It should be able to handle it. I don't think that any other game needs more than that, so getting 4GB card only for Skyrim is a bit of overkill I think, unless you're filthy rich :D

[Pmckenna]

Not rich, I just love shiny things..... Also, I want skyrim looking its best once I fire up my new pc!  (Anythings better than PS3 textures I tell ya!)

 

2gb minimum you say? So 4gb would be ideal?

 

I know getting a 4gb card just for skyrim sounds ridiculous, (probably cuz it is...) but there must be other games coming in the not too distant future that could benefit. Metro last light maybe?

 

Cheers Rootsrat,

 

P

[rootsrat]

Going bit off subject I seriously don't think any new or soon-to-be-released games would need more than 2GB VRAM to be honest, but I may be wrong - it's just what I'd say using common sense :)

[Besidilo]

IMHO investing in a 4GB card is pointless if you game at 1920x1080, especially when you like to upgrade frequently (say every other year).

 

By the time games really start using this much video memory, your card will be obsolete, or at best average, so future proofing in this regard is not the best idea - unless you're going to add more cards in the future.

[JudgmentJay]

Modded Skyrim is pretty much the only game that's even remotely capable of using more than 2GB of VRAM on a single monitor. Maybe Fallout: NV with a high uGrid setting? Not sure. Potential VRAM hogs in the future would be Metro: Last Light and Crysis 3, but my guess is that they won't come close to using 2GB at 1080p.

[Pmckenna]

Oh yeah, almost forgot. Like Jay said, I'll like to bump up the ini settings as well.

 

Does that justifiy 4gb yet? :D

[JudgmentJay]

If by ini setting you mean uGrids, then yeah that will add a few hundred MB VRAM (and RAM) usage. Going from 5 to 7 bumps mine by about 500, but I'm using max resolution textures everywhere. Sounds like your mind is set on a 4GB card. Just go for it... not like they're that much more expensive than their 2GB counterparts!

[Korentin]

Won't matter much if your talking about upping ugrids, its the game engine itself that have trouble handling it.

[rootsrat]

Out of interest, which cards have you actually got in mind Pmckenna?

[Pmckenna]

Sounds like your mind is set on a 4GB card. Just go for it...

That's all I needed to hear... Thanks JJ :D

 

Takes up ram as well? I've got 8gb soooo?

[Pmckenna]

Out of interest which cards have you actually got in mind Pmckenna?

Asus GTX670 DirectCU II non top version.

[Pmckenna]

Won't matter much if your talking about upping ugrids its the game engine itself that have trouble handling it.

Ok, your saying vram won't help much when it comes to upping ugrids? If its a problem with the game engine is there a unofficial fix that will help? Hope that made sense..

[Farlo]

Hopefully S.T.E.P has all the mods I need, (can't seem to find a full list, only 2.2.0 changelog??) if not I'll probably use a few more texture/armour/weapon mods, additional homes and a good realistic looking ENB.

 

Bonus Q... What kind of fps can I expect when using full step?

 

Thanks again.

 

EDIT: You guys do great work btw :D

The full STEP mod list can be found on our Skyrim Nexus page as a download (link on the top navbar).  

 

With an AMD 6870 1GB playing on 1080 with "Baseline" STEP and a few personal mods I was getting a solid 45+ FPS almost everywhere, although I haven't reformatted in a while so my system's kind of cluttered.

Not rich, I just love shiny things..... Also, I want skyrim looking its best once I fire up my new pc!  (Anythings better than PS3 textures I tell ya!)

 

2gb minimum you say? So 4gb would be ideal?

 

I know getting a 4gb card just for skyrim sounds ridiculous, (probably cuz it is...) but there must be other games coming in the not too distant future that could benefit. Metro last light maybe?

 

Cheers Rootsrat,

 

P

I wish I had known VRAM had such a huge impact when I bought my card, you're lucky you get to decide between those :P

 

I really can't imagine 4GB being useful beyond some massive overhead.  I doubt you could even push 3GB with everything STEP has to offer and uGrids=7 and if you push uGrids higher you'll start hitting CTDs and other nonsense.