VRAM Archives

AppWizard

January 16, 2026

Valve’s Steam Machine will have “fewer constraints” for games to be Verified than Steam Deck — plus, an explanation for that weird Steam Controller puck

Valve announced the Steam Machine, set to release in early 2026, which will be powered by SteamOS and designed for living room integration. It aims to bridge the gap between PC gaming and consoles, boasting hardware specifications that rival current-generation consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. The Steam Machine will have a streamlined process for games to achieve the "Verified" badge, making it easier for developers to secure this status compared to the Steam Deck. The Steam Machine is expected to have a larger library of Verified games due to its enhanced capabilities. Additionally, the new Steam Controller will feature a puck accessory that serves as a wireless receiver and charger, designed to reduce Bluetooth interference.

AppWizard

January 9, 2026

Steam Machine release date speculation, specs and latest news

Valve is set to launch the Steam Machine in early 2026, potentially up to April 2026, though delays may occur due to a RAM crisis affecting component prices. Pre-orders are currently unavailable, but customers can add it to their Steam wishlist for notifications. The Steam Machine is a PC-hybrid console, running SteamOS, and offers a desktop environment for flexibility. It has performance specifications between the Xbox Series S and PlayStation 5, with 16GB of system memory and 8GB of video memory. Key specifications include a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 CPU, semi-custom AMD RDNA3 GPU, and storage options of 512GB or 2TB NVMe SSD. The Steam Machine will come with a Steam Controller, featuring standard controls and enhanced precision through dual trackpads and a gyroscope.

AppWizard

January 7, 2026

The 007 First Light system requirements aren’t as terrifying as I expected

The system requirements for 007 First Light have been revealed. The minimum specifications include a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon RX 5700, 8GB VRAM, an Intel Core i5 9500K or AMD Ryzen 5 3500 CPU, 16GB RAM, and 80GB of storage, targeting 1080p at 30fps. The recommended specifications require an RTX 3060 Ti or RX 6700 XT, 12GB VRAM, an Intel Core i5 13500 or AMD Ryzen 5 7600 CPU, 32GB RAM, and also 80GB of storage, aiming for 1080p at 60fps. The game does not support ray tracing. The download size is 80GB. Performance issues such as frame rate drops were noted during gameplay, particularly in explosive moments. The release date is set for May.

AppWizard

January 2, 2026

Steam’s most popular survival game is now bigger than ever, and its developer has major plans for the year ahead

In 2025, Rust reached a peak player count of over 250,000 active users on Steam and logged 700 million hours by 5.8 million players in the past year. Facepunch Studios plans to introduce new features in 2026, including an expanded ecosystem, enhanced load times, and a potential battle pass system. The Naval update, set to launch on February 5, will introduce player-crafted boats for navigation and exploration. Other planned content includes new monuments, updates to player models and animations, and the introduction of new animals like cows and sheep with a breeding system. Facepunch aims to combat cheating, enhance performance, and explore DLC options, with a new anti-cheat layer in development. Performance improvements have reduced load and server connection times by approximately 65%. The team plans to continue releasing new DLC items monthly and is considering a battle pass system that aligns with the game's ethos. Test servers for upcoming features are available on the Rust staging branch.

AppWizard

December 31, 2025

Worst Optimized PC Games of 2025

As of 2025, the following PC games are noted for their poor optimization: 7) Rise of the Ronin: Criticized for high GPU demands that do not justify the visuals, resulting in a chaotic experience on Ultra Settings. 6) Double Fine’s Keeper: Requires players to lower settings to Medium to achieve smooth 60FPS at Native 4K, despite its striking art style. 5) The Outer Worlds 2: Nearly unplayable with Ray Tracing enabled; struggles on mid-range PCs due to heavy reliance on few CPU cores, with stuttering issues and unimpressive graphics. 4) Borderlands 4: While a recent update has improved performance for GPUs with 8GB of VRAM, it still suffers from stutters and high GPU requirements. 3) Monster Hunter Wilds: Continues to face significant performance problems despite a recent update and promises for future improvements. 2) Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2: Experiences severe stuttering that can render it unplayable, with only minor hotfixes provided. 1) Oblivion Remastered: Plagued by stutters and bugs, with no updates since April, despite visual upgrades.

Winsage

December 5, 2025

RIP Windows: Linux GPU Gaming Benchmarks on Bazzite

The shift from Windows to Linux, particularly with SteamOS, has increased interest in Linux testing among gamers. After three weeks of testing the Bazzite distribution, initial GPU results were obtained, revealing various issues such as crashes and lengthy shader compilation times. Bazzite was chosen for its popularity and developer engagement, offering two main versions: NVIDIA and non-NVIDIA, both with pre-installed drivers. The testing methodology was sensitive to change and not directly comparable to Windows due to different measurement tools. Benchmarking results showed that the RTX 5090 achieved an average of 176 FPS in Dragon’s Dogma 2 at 1080p, while performance disparities were noted in Black Myth: Wukong, where NVIDIA cards struggled with consistency. AMD GPUs often outperformed NVIDIA counterparts in several titles, indicating that while high-end NVIDIA hardware is capable, the Linux software environment may not fully utilize its potential. Ray tracing benchmarks in Cyberpunk 2077 also highlighted inconsistencies in performance. Overall, the Linux gaming environment is evolving, with expectations for improved compatibility and performance in the future.

Winsage

December 4, 2025

A new discrete gaming GPU evidently supports Windows on ARM for the first time — and it’s not from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel

China's Lisuan Technology, founded in 2021, has launched the 7G106 GPU, the first discrete graphics card compatible with Windows on ARM, aimed at disrupting the consumer gaming hardware market. Released in July 2025, the 7G106 is China's first 6nm GPU for gaming, featuring 12GB of GDDR6 VRAM and support for DirectX 12. A demonstration video shows the GPU running on a 12-core CP8180 v9 ARM chip, confirming its compatibility with Windows on ARM. Qualcomm announced a refresh of its Snapdragon line with the Snapdragon X2 in September 2025, which enhances performance for ARM-based Windows 11 PCs but lacks compatibility with discrete GPUs from major manufacturers.

AppWizard

December 4, 2025

AMD Radeon graphics card prices could soon skyrocket following a similar CPU scare

AMD graphics card prices are expected to rise due to increasing RAM costs. Reports indicate that AMD has communicated a price increase for graphics cards with 8GB and 16GB VRAM configurations. The suggested price increase is approximately 10% for both types. AMD's business model involves selling GPUs and VRAM together, meaning any cost increases are passed on to consumers. Additionally, AMD has informed partners of a second price increase across its entire product line, though the timing is unclear. No new AMD products are expected to launch until 2027, suggesting a prolonged absence from the market.

AppWizard

November 28, 2025

Grab an Nvidia gaming laptop for just $579 and save $170 in this incredible Black Friday deal from Acer

Acer's gaming laptop, the ANV15-52-586Z, is priced at 9 and features an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, enabling modern gaming with ray tracing and DLSS. It runs Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p with high settings at over 60fps and Fortnite at over 120fps. The laptop is powered by an Intel Core i5-13420H CPU and has 8GB of DDR5 RAM. It includes a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS LCD display with a 165Hz refresh rate and a 512GB SSD for storage. Connectivity options include three USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, Ethernet, and HDMI. The laptop emphasizes functionality over design and is noted for being an affordable option in the gaming laptop market.

AppWizard

November 28, 2025

These AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT Black Friday deals finally make this mid-range GPU a true bargain

AMD's RX 9000 series graphics cards, particularly the RX 9060 XT, have seen fluctuating retail prices often exceeding the suggested MSRP. However, Black Friday has brought several deals, making the RX 9060 XT more accessible. The Asus Dual Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB model is available for 9, down from its typical price of 9. It features 32 RDNA 4 compute units and has shown strong performance in gaming tests, achieving 51fps in Doom: The Dark Ages at 1440p and 113fps in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 at 1080p. The RX 9060 XT requires a single eight-pin PCIe power connector. The XFX Swift AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT OC Gaming Edition with 8GB of VRAM is priced at 9.99, which is the lowest price for this model during Black Friday, down from its MSRP of 9.