2560x1600 - Vram

[ghb70005]

Hello,

How important is video ram with a card pushing a Dell 30'?
I was under the impression the higher resolution had a direct relationship with the size of ram, am I wrong?

Looking to build with
I5
nvidea 500 series

Should I go for the 2gb and up models?

 

[jaguarskx]

Generally speaking you want at least 2GB of VRAM. 3GB or more is recommended for multi-monitor gameplay.

 

[ghb70005]

Thanks jaguar!
I thought I heard this from Tom's, but couldn't find the article.
So it's not just the processing power, it's storing the extra data required for more screen space.

 

[willard]

Yep, that's exactly right. Larger resolutions require bigger buffers. I'd consider 2GB the absolute minimum for that resolution, with 3GB being preferable.

 

[17seconds]

It depends on the game. The Vram champ right now is Battlefield 3. Check out this series of benchmarks and note the diminishing returns for the GTX 580 1.5gb vs. the 7950 3gb as resolutions increase. 1.5 vs 3 gb is not a dealbreaker, but there is a difference.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_680/9.html

 

[omega21xx]

It depends on the game. The Vram champ right now is Battlefield 3. Check out this series of benchmarks and note the diminishing returns for the GTX 580 1.5gb vs. the 7950 3gb as resolutions increase. 1.5 vs 3 gb is not a dealbreaker, but there is a difference.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/NVIDIA/GeForce_GTX_680/9.html

Exactly what I was going to mention.

2gb is preferable for resolutions above 1920x1200. I could only see 3gb being needed for future games with 5760x1080 and high res texture packs with AA. There are only few games that will enjoy having more than 1gb at 1080p like BF3 and fallout/elderscrolls with 2k texture packs.