Yes, 8GB of VRAM is sufficient even without ray tracing.
Yes, 8GB of VRAM is sufficient even without ray tracing.
The truth is, purchasing parts for a gaming PC in 2025 means considering ray tracing performance. We've already witnessed several titles needing hardware RT to function, and this demand is expected to rise sharply in the coming years. During 2018-2020, RT was still emerging, so it made sense to ignore it. Now, however, it's essential. If you're acquiring a new GPU or building a full PC in 2025, aiming for compatibility with games released after that year means the 9060 XT 16GB is the minimum you should purchase. 8GB cards work for today's games, but they'll soon fall short.
I say that because I haven't encountered a game - either in my personal use (since I still have an 8GB GPU), or when looking at benchmarks - that is actually unplayable with 8GB of VRAM. You just need to turn the settings down. That said, I'm obviously not saying that this makes it a smart idea to buy an 8GB GPU in 2025, it's not lol.
Find a refurbished RX 6600 under $150 to enjoy GTA5, then upgrade to a new GPU in three years.