Memory Issues (RAM & VRAM)

What Causes Memory Stuttering?

When your system runs out of available RAM, Windows begins using your storage drive as virtual memory (page file). Since even the fastest SSDs are much slower than RAM, this causes severe stuttering and freezes.

Similarly, if your GPU runs out of VRAM, it must swap textures from system RAM or storage, causing "texture pop-in" and frame drops when looking around or entering new areas.

Signs of Memory Issues

RAM Issues

• Game stutters after playing for a while (memory leak)
• Stuttering when alt-tabbing or with many programs open
• Task Manager shows 90%+ memory usage
• Windows shows "low memory" warnings
• System becomes unresponsive during gaming

VRAM Issues

• Textures appear blurry then pop in as you approach
• Stuttering when looking around or entering new areas
• Game warns about exceeding VRAM budget
• Performance drops with high texture quality settings
• Frame drops in graphically dense areas

How to Diagnose

Check RAM Usage

1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc)
2. Go to the Performance tab
3. Click Memory
4. Watch usage while gaming - if it stays above 85-90%, you may have RAM issues

Check VRAM Usage

Many games show VRAM usage in their graphics settings. Also use:

• MSI Afterburner - On-screen display shows GPU memory usage
• GPU-Z - Sensors tab shows memory usage
• Task Manager - Performance → GPU → Dedicated GPU memory

RAM Requirements

Common Causes

• Not enough RAM - 8GB is often insufficient for modern AAA games
• Memory leaks - Some games/apps don't release memory properly over time
• Background apps - Browsers, Discord, and launchers consume significant RAM
• XMP/DOCP not enabled - RAM running at slower speeds than rated
• Single-channel RAM - One stick instead of two matching sticks
• High texture settings - Using Ultra textures on limited VRAM GPUs
• Small page file - Insufficient virtual memory for fallback

Related Guides

• CPU Bottleneck - If CPU is the limiting factor
• Storage Stuttering - If slow storage is causing issues
• GPU Usage Drops - If GPU isn't being fully utilized