Is 2GB (Usable) VRAM GTX 690 Enough for Oculus Rift?

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MasterHiFi

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Checking the minimum specs for Oculus Rift due out Q1 2016 - minimum graphics requirements for Nvidia are "GTX 970 or equivalent"

So here's the rub, GTX 970 has 4GB VRAM, while the 690 has 2GB + 2GB mirrored. So the million dollar question is: will the 690 run OR? Or is it going to bottleneck at the VRAM? Is it going to be okay, but resolution limited?

Anyone with experience with the OR, your help is greatly appreciated. I'd hate to think that I need to invest in another high end card just to run the Rift. Otherwise, I'm contented and sedate. ;)
 
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IInuyasha74
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Geekwad

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If you're talking about the CV1 coming soon.....only with a barf-bag close. Sorry. It will not be the experience you are hoping for. Oculus is recommending the 970/390, but the 980/390x offers a MUCH better experience (for singles). For DK2 it could be used, but your eyes will probably get tired after a bit because the way the settings/details need to be adjusted......keep in mind you eyes are VERY close to that screen, so isn't like regular monitor gaming (and I'm basing this on a single 780ti experience which is close enough to the 690).

In the end, you 'really' need to have that 4GB minimum of RAM per chip.....2+2 won't cut it (or even 3+3, for that matter).

In VR, speed is one part, but detail is very important too, and your card has to be able to support that to get a true immersed experience.
 
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IInuyasha74

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You will probably be okay, although you may have to turn down some settings like AA to conserve the vRAM you have available. The computational performance of your graphics card shouldn't be an issue except when running games that aren't optimized for SLI.

However, you shouldn't be concerned about turning down settings ruining the experience. Unlike what Geekwad said, VR does not need a high level graphical detail. As I am a writer for Tom's Hardware, I have more than once got the chance to test VR equipment hands-on. Even VR game demos that didn't look realistic at all gave an enjoyable immersive experience. Turning down settings in games on VR will seem about the same as it does now at worst. As the point is to feel immersed into the game, the overall quality of the graphics are arguably less important as the effect is present regardless of how realistic it is. Remember, VR isn't an attempt to be ultra realistic so much as it is an attempt to make you feel you are really there. Fantasy games that are simulated in a VR world aren't going to make you believe that magic and dragons really exist, but it might make you think that there things are really coming at you, you are really standing on the edge of a mountain, walking in a forest, or dodging arrows.

Only in games that are attempting to simulate an extremely realistic world will graphics settings be a crucial element.
 
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MasterHiFi

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Sigh... That's pretty much what I expected (and was afraid of). What kind of world are we living in where a guy can't get by on a thousand dollar GPU...? This place is going to the dogs, I tell ya!

Hey, Rift is stereoscopic - why don't they engineer it so rigs in dual SLI/XFire run one card per panel? Genius, I say! (Yes, I realize I have no idea what I'm talking about) Oh, but I'd still be in trouble because of that stacked VRAM. :(

Going to head over to Radio Shack and buy a RAM chip.... I know how to solder. Where the hell's my hacksaw?

Thanks for your good, albeit depressing insight, Geekwad. I wish t'was otherwise, but the facts are the facts. On a positive note, however, I do believe the fan on my 690 Signature Edition dices onions faster than Julia Childs.
 
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Geekwad

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I will concede this point. It will depend on what kind of VR content you're immersed in. I do work with highly realistic VR content creation, so my experience/opinions are colored that way.
 
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Geekwad

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......why don't they engineer it so rigs in dual SLI/XFire run one card per panel? Genius, I say!.......
Click to expand...

Genius indeed....we're heading there. I do concede it will depend on the realism of the content, so I shouldn't be so quick to say that all VR content with your equipment will be a no-go. Apologies. I think the better thing to say would have been that it's going to be a revolution in entertainment (eventually), but don't be surprised if content will soon be forcefully pushing you towards the 4Gb cards.
 
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MasterHiFi

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Hi and thank you, IInuyasha74, this is encouraging. I do know exactly what you mean regarding immersiveness vs detail. I do wholly relish the memories of playing Thief I & II, being completely immersed in the alternate reality and needing a few minutes after playing to acclimate myself to the actual reality, so what you describe makes sense. Though I don't know, obviously, if simply lowering the settings will be enough to provide fluid gameplay.

I had the opportunity many years ago to play in one of those archaic VR games they had in the 90's - you know, the circular pedestals with a railing where you went head to head with another player? The graphics were minimal, illuminated line drawings, basically. Even then, because you are isolated from the outside world, it was easy to be transported. The downside obviously being that whatever motion you performed took about three or four seconds to execute. That was pretty annoying, and led to vertigo.

Guess it'll be a "wait and see" situation, or maybe someone will accidently leave their Titan on the train....

No small amount of envy, btw, regarding your contributions to Tom's Hardware, and all that this entails. :)

Thanks!
MHF
 
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IInuyasha74

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That is understandable. With that kind of content I'm sure even minor decreases in settings are abundantly obvious. In a game centered on the realism of the characters and story instead of fantasy and action, I'd be wanting to make sure I could max everything. vRAM is probably going to be the biggest limitation for a lot of people, and the more vRAM an power you have in your system the further you will go. Probably the first generation of major VR content won't be too bad, because programmers will need to limit their content somewhat to be functional on today's hardware. A little later down the road, probably somewhere between 2018-2020 will come the next generation of VR hardware and content. vRAM will probably need to double between now and then in order to avoid a serious bottleneck. It is hard to say how much other hardware will need to evolve.

 
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IInuyasha74

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Haha I totally remember using one of those arcade VR systems before too. Yea, for games along those lines, responsiveness is going to be the most important aspect probably. You should do reasonably okay with it. The GTX 690, is essentially two GTX 680s. A GTX 680 is essentially the same a GTX 770, and the GTX 770 performs somewhere in between a GTX 960 and GTX 970. AA is the biggest drain on vRAM, followed by resolution, so adjusting those settings should manage to get over the vRAM issue, with lower detail settings compensating for the performance discrepancies. Not ideal, especially not for all situations, but it should be a passably enjoyable experience and eventually you can upgrade to a newer system further down the road.

And thanks for the kind words. It is always nice to meet users who enjoy our work. :)

-MJ
 
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MasterHiFi

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Geekwad said:

Genius indeed....we're heading there. I do concede it will depend on the realism of the content, so I shouldn't be so quick to say that all VR content with your equipment will be a no-go. Apologies. I think the better thing to say would have been that it's going to be a revolution in entertainment (eventually), but don't be surprised if content will soon be forcefully pushing you towards the 4Gb cards.
Click to expand...

Seriously? Well a card per panel makes sense to me. But yes, I agree that it surely wouldn't be long before the technology left the lower VRAM cards like mine behind.

And predicting a revolution in entertainment is almost an understatement. This 3D VR is going to be incredible - the stuff of sci-fi movies. Just think about the financial investment from the adult entertainment industry, let alone all of the R&D areas of the scientific community.

And just what kind of high res. content do you develop, Geekwad? (If you are free to discuss it). Those are some drool-worthy rigs you are running, a content creator's dream....

MHF
 
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PhoenixNL72

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Well, I've been using a Oculus DK2 on a GTX 560TI and that will run most demo's at 75 fps though I have to lower the quality in some. The CV1 will have about double the resolution and will run at 90Hz so you would need about then 4.8x the performance of a 560TI to play the same demo's (2x resolution = 4x pixels+ 90/75 = 1.2)

That said the 690 will be more then enough to dable with VR for a while. So I wouldn't replace it unless you can get a good deal on a second hand GTX 780/970 card. Keep in mind that Graphic card prices tend to drop over the months so you'll be able to get a much better card for your bucks in 3 months. As the HTC vive(The steam alternative to Oculus) is set for launch in april, I don't expect the oculus to be released before that date so I would just wait and save up till then.

 
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