Latest GPU or GPU with more VRAM, which is more important for VR?

[atarumoroboshi18]

I've been wondering this and wanted to ask you all about it. Which is more important for VR, having the latest GPUs or having GPUs with more VRAM? So, pretty much, would a 3090 be better than a 4080 due to the load of extra VRAM or would the 4080 come out on top due to it's newer architecture. I have a 3080 FE and while it's no slouch, ever since I've updated my headset, I've realized that it's been reaching that 10GB threshold on occasion. So, would getting an older card with more VRAM for cheap be better than getting a new card with more VRAM, but be more expensive. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[funkydmunky]

I've been wondering this and wanted to ask you all about it. Which is more important for VR, having the latest GPUs or having GPUs with more VRAM? So, pretty much, would a 3090 be better than a 4080 due to the load of extra VRAM or would the 4080 come out on top due to it's newer architecture. I have a 3080 FE and while it's no slouch, ever since I've updated my headset, I've realized that it's been reaching that 10GB threshold on occasion. So, would getting an older card with more VRAM for cheap be better than getting a new card with more VRAM, but be more expensive. What are your thoughts on this?

It isn't about large amounts of VRAM it is about having enough with adequate RAM bandwidth. A 4080 will destroy a 3090 every day of the week. It is just a much faster card and has "ADEQUATE" RAM and RAM bandwidth, even though both are less then a 3090/ti.
My 2080 (8GB) clocked high, VR's just fine. All I have to do is be realistic in the settings. Back off if you need to as to put less stress on the card at VR rez with minimal VRAM.
If you aren't "hurting" with your 10GB 3080 then I would hold pat as long as possible. In games you are experiencing drops (I don't know your HMD, SIG?) just lower a RAM intensive setting or two. It often matters little in VR visually, and allows that high refresh rate which is EVERYTHING!

 

[Vengance_01]

I agree the 4080 is the better card period. I would try and ride out your current card if possible one more generation.

 

[NamelessPFG]

Stick it out with your 3080 if you can; coming from a card like that, anything short of a 4090 is not going to be worth it for VR. It should tide you over until Blackwell hits the market.

I was less fortunate and was coming from a 980, which was just adequate for VR back in 2016 and rapidly fell behind to the point that it just became completely unviable, all while the GPU market turned into a complete fiasco for the next seven years - until here I am with a 4080, and I finally have something that can keep DCS from kicking into reprojection/motion smoothing just on a casual free flight, never mind an actual mission with stuff blowing up and AI all over the place.

For VR, you need GPU performance - the biggest, beefiest single GPU you can afford (VR SLI never took off). Extra VRAM on top of that is nice, but not strictly necessary if you're not hitting limits.

It also needs to be a GPU backed up by performant drivers, because I made the mistake of going RX 7900 XTX a few months ago and finding out the hard way that the Babel Tech Reviews results were not kidding about how much better NVIDIA cards performed in VR, especially after trading that card for a 4080. (Got hit with a defective vapor chamber, too, making the performance deficiencies even worse!)

 

[atarumoroboshi18]

Dang, I guess I can wait to get a 40xx at a better price in the near future, but just watching how low the 3090 cards are going right now makes them really tempting...