In majority of the cases, NO, a 2GB graphics card is NOT good for gaming. 2 GB VRAM is generally found on older generation mid-range or newer generation low-end dedicated graphics cards.
As such, if you are avid gamer and someone who likes to play the latest AAA titles, then a graphics card featuring 2GB would generally not be enough.
On the flipside, however, you may get away with these cards if you are someone who plays popular online titles such as League of Legends, Dota, Overwatch etc.
In the following text I will comprehensively try to answer the question “is a 2GB graphics card good for gaming?” and in doing so also talk about why RAM isn’t the best metric for measuring a GPU’s performance.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Graphics Cards that Feature 2GB VRAM
The following table shows a list of all the popular graphics cards that feature 2GB RAM. Take note that a majority of these graphics cards are fairly old, however, they are still found on many older systems.
In addition to that, I have also added two other key metrics:
- The G3DMark Benchmark Scores
- Cuda Cores (for NVIDIA GPUs), Core and Clock Speed
These would help you compare the performance of the various 2GB graphics cards out there.
Note this is not a complete list. There are many more 2GB dedicated GPUs out there.
| Graphics Card | Release Year | G3DMark | Cuda Cores (NVIDIA) | Core Clock | Memory Clock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 | 2015 | 6035 | 1024 | 1127 MHz | 1753 MHz |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 | 2015 | 5390 | 768 | 1024 MHz | 1653 MHz |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 | 2016 | 5082 | 640 | 1354 MHz | 1752 MHz |
| NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 Ti | 2014 | 3917 | 640 | 1020 MHz | 1350 MHz |
| AMD Radeon RX 560 | 2017 | 3591 | - | 1175 MHz | 1750 MHz |
| NVIDIA GeForce GT 1030 | 2017 | 2537 | 384 | 1227 MHz | 1250 MHz |
| AMD Radeon R7 450 | 2016 | 1965 | - | 1050 MHz | 1125 MHz |
| NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 | 2014 | 816 | 384 | 902 MHz | 1250 MHz |
| NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 | 2014 | 637 | 192 | 823 MHz | 900 MHz |
VRAM is NOT the Only Measure of Performance
One thing should be very clear from the table above, the amount of VRAM on a graphics card is NOT the only measure of performance.
Take for instance, the entry-level and basic NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 released all the way back in 2014 and NVIDIA GTX 960 released in 2015. There is a lightyear of performance difference between the two.
NVIDIA GTX 960 was a popular mid range graphics card of its time.
Even if you take 2GB GPUs from the same generation i.e NVIDIA GTX 960 vs NVIDIA GTX 950, you will notice a significant performance difference.
All this should proof that the amount of VRAM is NOT the decisive measure of a GPU’s performance. There are other factors such as the amount of CUDA Cores for NVIDIA GPUs and Stream Processors for AMD GPUS, their clock speed, the clock speed of the RAM etc all affect the performance of the GPU.
The amount of VRAM is just one of the many specs that affect a GPUs performance but it is hardly the only significant one.
Also Read: is 4GB Graphics Card Enough for Gaming?
So is a 2GB Graphics Card Good For Gaming?
Generally 2GB graphics card is NOT recommended for new gaming builds. However to support this argument we can look at the minimum and the recommended graphics requirements of several games in order to check if the 2GB graphics cards are enough for gaming or not.
As alluded to earlier, there are two types of games generally:
- Popular Online/eSports Titles: These do not have a robust graphics card requirement
- AAA games: These have a robust graphics card requirement.
Hence let us look at both categories of gaming.
Graphics Card Requirements for Popular Online / Esports Titles
The following are some of the prominent online/eSports titles. The thing about online games such MMOs, eSports titles is that since they are designed to be played by the masses, they have a low overall PC hardware requirements.
| Minimum Graphics Requirements |
Recommended Graphics Requirements |
|
| Minecraft | Integrated Intel HD 4000 |
GeForce 700 Serie |
| Rocket League | GeForce GTX 760 | GeForce GTX 1060 |
| Fortnite | Intel Iris Pro 5200 | GeForce GTX 960 |
| Dota 2 | GeForce 8600 | Radeon HD 2600 Pro |
| League of Legends | Shader version 2.0b-capable (iGPU) | GeForce 8800 |
For Popular Online Games 2GB Graphics Card Should Suffice
For popular online games majority of the older 2GB graphics cards such as the GTX 750Ti is more than enough. In fact, the likes of GTX 960 are an overkill for playing the popular online titles on Full HD and high graphics.
Graphics Card Requirements for AAA Titles
AAA titles have a robust requirement. Since each new AAA title is designed to push the limits of the current gen graphics, a 2GB graphics card would almost certainly not be sufficient for newer AAA titles.
Let us look at some of the AAA titles and their graphics requirements
| Minimum Requirements |
Recommended Requirements |
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | GeForce GTX 780 (3GB) | GeForce GTX 1660 Super (6GB) |
| Resident Evil Village | GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (4GB) | GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB) |
| Watch Dog Legions | GeForce GTX 970 (4 GB) | GeForce RTX 2060S (8GB) |
| Assassin’s Creed Valhalla | GeForce GTX 960 (4GB) | GeForce GTX 1080 (8GB) |
| Elden Ring | GeForce GTX 1060 (3GB) | GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB) |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | GeForce GTX 770 (2GB) | GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB) |
For AAA Games 2GB Graphics Card is NOT Sufficient
It should be clear from the system requirements of some of the AAA titles above that the 2GB graphics cards do not even meet the minimum requirements of the latest titles, let alone the recommended requirements.
The least recommended VRAM for the popular AAA titles is 3GB. However, a 3GB GPU will only ensure that you can play these titles at the bear minimum.
If you want to have a good quality gaming experience, a mid-range graphics card with 4GB VRAM, at the very least and 6 GB VRAM preferably is recommended.
Also Read: Is Integrated Graphics Card Good Enough?
FAQ
Which 2GB Graphic Card is the Best for Gaming?
According to benchmarks, the most powerful 2GB graphics card are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 (2GB variant), NVIDIA GTX 950 and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050.
Again, these are NOT the BEST graphics cards for gaming. They are best in the 2GB VRAM category.
Is 2GB RAM Enough for High Graphics Gaming?
No, with the current gaming scene, 2GB is not nearly enough to support even the minimum requirements of most AAA titles.
For popular online games / eSports titles, 2GB graphics card should suffice for many games.
Also Read: How Long Do GPUs Last?
Is 2GB VRAM Enough for GTA 5?
Yes, the aforementioned graphics cards with 2GB RAM should support GTA 5 at a respectable graphics settings. Just do not expect them to support ultra quality graphics or resolution higher than FHD.
Also Read: Is Intel Core i3 Good for Gaming?
Final Words
So is a 2GB graphics card good for gaming? Generally, the notion is no. 2GB graphics cards are NOT sufficient with the current gaming trends.
They are not designed to play the newer titles at full graphics on full HD resolution and 60 FPS let alone on 4K or 144 FPS – which is the current graphics demand for most gamers.
However, if you are planning on building a low-budget gaming rig and intent to play eSports titles or MMORPGs, then 2GB graphics card should suffice.
But again I will reiterate the critical point here, not all 2GB graphics cards are the same.
Also Read: GPU Hierarchy – Graphics Card Tiered Performance List
