What is GDDR7?
The latest generation of GPU memory (2024+). Significantly higher bandwidth than GDDR6X at the same capacity tier. Used in NVIDIA Blackwell cards (RTX 5070 series).
Full Explanation
GDDR7 is the memory standard used in NVIDIA's Blackwell generation GPUs, debuting with the RTX 5070 series in early 2025. It delivers up to 672 GB/s on a 192-bit bus — roughly 40% more bandwidth than the GDDR6X used in the RTX 4080 Super. The higher bandwidth directly translates to more tokens per second at the same VRAM capacity, making it a generational leap for LLM inference rather than just gaming.
Why It Matters for Local AI
GDDR7 is the reason the RTX 5070 at $600 outperforms the RTX 4090 in tokens-per-second for models that fit in VRAM. If you're buying a GPU specifically for local AI in 2025–2026, GDDR7 hardware is the only segment worth considering.
Hardware Relevant to GDDR7
gpu · Check Price on Amazon · 12 GB VRAM · 672 GB/s
gpu · Check Price on Amazon · 12 GB VRAM · 672 GB/s
Related Terms
VRAM→
Video RAM — dedicated memory on a GPU. Determines the maximum model size you can run with full GPU acceleration. Once a model exceeds VRAM, it spills to system RAM over the slow PCIe bus.
Memory Bandwidth→
How fast data moves between memory and the processor, measured in GB/s. Tokens per second scales nearly linearly with bandwidth — this is the single most important GPU spec for LLM speed.
GDDR6→
Previous-generation GPU memory. Lower bandwidth than GDDR7, but paired with larger capacities (e.g., 16GB RX 9060 XT) can offer better model headroom despite lower token speed.
Blackwell→
NVIDIA's 2024–2025 GPU architecture generation. Features 5th-generation Tensor Cores, GDDR7 memory, and significant AI inference performance improvements over Ada Lovelace (RTX 40 series).