Budget GPUs recently released have not met the anticipated enthusiasm among gamers, hindered by both pricing and VRAM issues. Many gamers express dissatisfaction with the 8 GB options, especially as Nvidia and AMD have chosen to restrict these cards from major reviewers.

AMD claims this decision is based on regional market demand, a notion reaffirmed by Nvidia’s previous statements regarding their own offerings. In a communication shared by renowned tech reviewer Linus Tech Tips (LTT), AMD explained:

“As for the 8 GB models, AMD has enabled global reviews of both 16 GB and 8 GB models of the Radeon RX 9060 XT based on regional market demand. So in short, yes, there are some other global publications that are receiving 8 GB models for testing.”

This implies that AMD is being strategic about which samples are sent for review, likely to circumvent negative feedback from Western markets that view the 8 GB models as inadequate for modern gaming at higher resolutions like 1440p.

While 8 GB may suffice for basic gaming at 1080p, its limitations become evident in AAA titles.

Thus far, AMD seems to favor promoting 16 GB models in preview coverage. This tactic may backfire, however, as it limits the discourse surrounding the 8 GB version’s performance compared to its 16 GB counterpart.

In contrast, those looking at pricing disparities have noted that downgrading from 16 GB to 8 GB may not heavily impact performance, but the variance in cost raises questions about long-term value.

For further context, Frank Azor, AMD’s Chief Architect of Gaming Solutions, has defended the viability of 8 GB GPUs despite criticisms surrounding their practical gaming applications.