GPU Memory Clock Speed vs GPU Core Clock Speed: What’s The Difference?

If you have heard your friend bragging about the clock speed of their new graphics card right before you two sit for a gaming duel, today is the day you know the real meaning behind it.

Also, if you are fed up with the overreaching brags, it is time to ask them this — “do you mean GPU core clock or the GPU memory clock speed.”

Trust me, they might just not be the answer to it. But after reading through this piece, you would!

GPU Core clock vs. Memory clock

The GPU Core clock speed is the thinking speed of the graphics card. It is the rate at which the card processes the graphic data. Therefore, if the core clock speed is high, the GPU is expected to think faster.

Conversely, the memory clock speed is how fast a card can access its memory or the integrated Video RAM.

Let us take a real-world example. If you are currently playing a very demanding, graphics-intensive game featuring tons of complex textures, the core clock speed will decide how fast those textures are rendered. The memory clock speed will ensure that these quick renders are displayed on-screen without lags or hiccups.

Therefore, the core clock will determine how fast the processes are, whereas the memory quantity and clock speed will determine how big of a task the card can handle.

What is GPU Clock Speed?

The concept of GPU clock speed is tricky to understand. Especially when there are core clock and memory clock terms to account for, but let me break it down for you.

The clock speed is often represented in GHz (gigahertz) or MHz (megahertz), with GHz being the bigger metric.

Let us take an actual GPU, say the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 or the AMD Radeon RX 6800. These GPUs have clock speeds set at 1.44 GHz (base) and 1.81 GHz (base), respectively.

And reading this, you would have decided that AMD should be the one to prioritize while buying. But there is more to this discussion than just numbers.

Honestly speaking, the RTX 3080 might just be a better bet. Confused?

Well, read on further, as there are other elements like the core clock, memory clock, and VRAM that I haven’t explained as of yet. You might be in for a surprise.

What is Memory Clock Speed?

I discussed the clock speed of a GPU, but now, it is time to explore further and see what individual terms mean, also for specific cards.

First of all, there is the memory clock, which refers to the speed with which the graphics card accesses the VRAM. The speed is usually specified in Gbps or gigabits per second.

Memory clock speed is important as it works with the VRAM. It means the speed at which the GPU picks models, textures, and other details from the Video RAM after the GPU cores have processed the same in the first place.

A high memory clock speed means the graphics are rendered smoothly onscreen, especially in high-res settings.

While gaming, a higher memory clock speed would mean that the textures load faster and there is minimal lag.

For 3D models, the memory clock reduces rendering times.

For the GPUs I touched upon — RTX 3080 and RX 6800, the memory clock speeds are 19 Gbps and 16 Gbps, respectively. Therefore, for high-res games and VR, NVIDIA is a better bet.

What is a Core Clock Speed in GPU?

I am sure that the concept of a memory clock is clear by now. Let us now shift focus to the concept of the core clock and the associated speeds. Simply put, the core clock speed of a GPU is the speed with which the card’s main processor operates.

The core clock handles all the complex calculations associated with rendering, shaders, and game physics.

Therefore, if you want to play higher-resolution games, a GPU with a higher core clock speed can better process the textures. If we revisit the earlier GPUs discussed — RTX 3080 and RX 6800- the latter boasts a better base and boosted clock speeds.

With more VRAM or higher clock speed — memory clock, to be exact — RX 6800 seems like a better bet for handling larger workloads and textures.

How do they work together?

So, there are three crucial GPU elements to consider while purchasing one — core clock, memory clock, and VRAM. Let us now understand how they work in collaboration.

• The GPU frequency for gaming or the GPU clock speed for gaming, or simply the core clock, handles the quality of processing.
• The memory clock or the GPU memory clock speed manages the data transfer speeds to and from the Video RAM.
• Whereas the VRAM itself stores the processed graphical data.

So the next time someone brags about the clock speed, ask them what does GPU clock speed mean and which one they are referring to.

Bottlenecks involved

As three GPU elements are involved, one outpacing the other can cause issues.

For instance, if the GPU frequency or the core clock speed is way faster than the memory clock speed and the GPU doesn’t have enough RAM, there might be visual lags during gaming and video editing. To be precise, low memory clock speed for gaming can lead to visible frame drops.

Also, if the VRAM is high but the clock speeds — core and memory — are low, the resources used for video editing and even 3D modeling are underutilized.

If these are the standard concerns, the best way forward is to consider GPU memory overclock benefits to get the same at par with the core clock speeds. As far as the choice between more VRAM or higher clock speed is concerned, it depends on your priorities, something I shall discuss in the next section.

Which clock should you consider while buying a GPU?

If you are a gamer, you should focus on getting a GPU with a high core clock speed and overclockable memory clock with sufficient VRAM for the best gameplay and life span.

And before making the purchase, you want to ask yourself, what should my GPU clock speed be, depending on the game you wish to explore?

Professionals who are into 3D modeling, editing, and more might want to get VRAM-loaded graphics cards. You should definitely know if you even need a dedicated GPU in the first place.

FAQs

1. Does increasing the memory clock increase FPS?

Yes, increasing the memory clock speed can increase frames per second as the GPU can then access data faster from the VRAM and send it to the visual medium without hiccups.

2. Is the memory clock or the core clock better for gaming?

For gaming, both are important. While the core clock has a bearing on the general gaming performance, helping render effects and scenes faster, the memory clock processes the high-res textures quicker and ensures they load at a clip.

3. What is a good memory clock speed?

A good memory clock depends on your budget and preferences. However, anything between 12 Gbps and 19 Gbps works well.

4. What is a good core clock for a GPU?

A good core clock speed limit for a standard to high-end GPU would be anywhere between 1.5 GHz to 2 GHz at base rates. But then, these numbers make sense only if the overall performance profile is good.