Valve's new low-VRAM Linux fix nearly triples FPS in select games on AMD's RX 6500 XT

Earlier in April 2026, Valve engineer Natalie Vlock introduced a new VRAM optimization for Linux. Rather than letting lower-priority workloads push game data into slower system memory, the optimization prioritizes the foreground game over background desktop apps when dedicated VRAM is low.

The fix is now undergoing its first round of testing on a 4GB GPU, and the results show notable performance improvements in select titles. After the patch surfaced earlier this month, YouTuber NJ Tech tested it on a Radeon RX 6500 XT running CatchyOS, where the feature can be enabled via the "Install GPU Boosters" option. The test rig paired the GPU with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and a Ryzen 5 5600X with a stock cooler.

Getting into the results, Alan Wake II saw the most notable performance boost from the tweak. The game was tested at 1080p on low settings with FSR set to Quality. With the VRAM optimization applied, average frame rates jumped from 14 FPS to 41 FPS, while 1% lows improved from 12 to 28 FPS.

3

Two other titles also showed meaningful gains. Resident Evil: Requiem saw a 16% average FPS improvement, going from 67 to 78 FPS, with 1% lows jumping from 36 to 56 FPS at 1080p low settings with maximum upscaling. Silent Hill f improved more modestly, with average FPS rising from 47 to 50, and 1% lows increasing by 1 FPS under similar settings with Temporal Anti-Aliasing enabled.

3

The remaining titles showed little to no gains. Spider-Man 2 went from 60 to 62 FPS, Hogwarts Legacy moved from 60 to 61 FPS, and Death Stranding 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and Crimson Desert all held flat.

Of course, we'll need more data before drawing any firm conclusions, but it is safe to say Natalie's efforts to give low-VRAM cards a little more breathing room are not going in vain. If you want to contribute and test the optimization yourself, NJ Tech also walks through the installation process at the end of the video.