How to Fix "You Don‘t Have Enough System and Video Memory to Start The Last of Us"

As an avid gamer and streaming enthusiast, I was incredibly excited to play The Last of Us on PC. This emotionally gripping masterpiece from Naughty Dog is easily one of the greatest games ever made. However, I ran into the dreaded error message "You don‘t have enough system and video memory to start the game."

After some trial and error, I managed to get The Last of Us running smoothly at max settings in glorious 4K resolution. In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll walk you through everything I learned about resolving this error message, optimizing performance, and enjoying The Last of Us to its fullest potential on PC.

Why You Get the "Not Enough Memory" Error Message

Before we fix the problem, let‘s break down what causes this error message in the first place.

The Last of Us Part I requires a minimum of 16GB of system RAM and a discrete graphics card with at least 4GB of VRAM. If your PC fails to meet either of these two requirements, you‘ll likely see the error saying you lack sufficient memory.

Here are the specific technical reasons why:

Insufficient RAM (System Memory)

The Last of Us requires substantial system memory overhead to run properly. All the detailed textures, physics, AI behaviors, and intricate levels eat up RAM. If your PC only has 8GB or 12GB of total RAM, you probably don‘t have enough leftover memory for the game to initialize after allocating to Windows, background processes, etc.

Outdated or Integrated Graphics (Video Memory)

In addition to RAM, you need a gaming-caliber discrete graphics card with its own video memory. Integrated GPUs like Intel HD 630 share system memory and can‘t handle The Last of Us. Running on outdated graphics like an NVIDIA 900 series or AMD 200 series also likely causes the error.

While upgrading system memory and your graphics card are the definitive solutions, let‘s explore some tweaks first that could potentially get you playing sooner.

Free Up RAM By Closing Unnecessary Background Apps

If your system just misses the minimum RAM requirement, you may be able to resolve the error message without physically installing new memory.

The trick is to purge unnecessary background processes to claw back as much memory as possible for The Last of Us. Here‘s how to free up RAM through Task Manager:

Press CTRL + ALT + DEL to open Task Manager.
Click on the "Processes" tab.
Click the "Memory" column header to sort processes by memory usage.
Right click applications and browser tabs you aren‘t actively using and select "End task."
Repeat the process until you‘ve freed up at least 2 GB of RAM.
Try launching The Last of Us again to see if it starts up successfully.

This technique allows you to reclaim wasted memory allocated to expendable processes. By quitting apps, unused browser tabs, background updaters, and the like, you create the overhead needed for smooth gameplay.

However, if your system only has 8 GB or 12 GB total, freeing up 2 GB likely isn‘t sufficient. You‘ll need to upgrade the physical RAM for a lasting fix. But it‘s still worth a shot before spending money!

Upgrade RAM to Exceed System Requirements

To definitively eliminate the "not enough memory" error, you‘ll need to upgrade your system memory to meet or exceed the required 16 GB.

Upgrading RAM is an affordable and straightforward process these days. Here are some tips:

Aim for 16 GB or 32 GB total RAM – This provides plenty of comfortable overhead not just for The Last of Us, but for multitasking and leaving apps open in the background.
Get DDR4 SDRAM sticks – This is the current standard. Make sure your motherboard specifically supports DDR4 memory. DDR5 is brand new and excessively expensive right now.
Buy memory in kits, not individual sticks – Purchasing a 2 or 4 stick kit ensures compatibility and enables dual channel performance for snappier gaming.
Consider speed and latency ratings – For the best gaming experience, get RAM with speeds of 3200MHz or higher and latency of CL16 or lower. But don‘t overpay for incremental gains.
Watch installation tutorial videos – Properly seating and configuring new RAM is important! Take it slow when upgrading.

Here are some specific RAM recommendations I can personally vouch for based on my own testing and research:

RAM	Speed	Latency	Size	Kit Type	Price
Corsair Vengeance LPX	3200MHz	CL16	2 x 8GB (16GB)	DDR4	$69.99
G.Skill Ripjaws V	3600MHz	CL16	2 x 16GB (32GB)	DDR4	$134.99

Now that you have enough system memory, it‘s time to move onto the next potential culprit – your graphics card and its drivers.

Update GPU Drivers for Compatibility

If you now meet the minimum RAM requirements but still receive the error message, an outdated or incompatible graphics card driver could be to blame.

Keeping your GPU drivers up-to-date is vital for optimizing performance and compatibility in new game releases. Here‘s how to safely update drivers from NVIDIA and AMD:

NVIDIA Driver Update

Open the GeForce Experience app.
Click on the "Drivers" tab.
Click on "Check for Updates."
If an update is available, click "Download and Install."

AMD Driver Update

Go to AMD‘s Driver & Support webpage.
Enter your graphics card model.
Download the latest driver for your operating system.
Run the downloaded installation file to update.

After updating your graphics drivers, restart your PC and try launching The Last of Us again. Updated drivers can potentially fix incompatibility issues and errors.

Increase Virtual Memory for Extra Breathing Room

If you still can‘t get the game running after meeting system requirements and updating GPU drivers, try increasing your Windows virtual memory.

Virtual memory allows Windows to reserve free space on your hard drive as supplemental memory. Increasing virtual memory can provide extra breathing room if your physical RAM is borderline for a game.

Here are steps to increase virtual memory:

Open System > Advanced system settings > Performance Settings
Select the "Advanced" tab > Virtual Memory > Change
Uncheck "Automatically manage paging file size"
Choose your fastest primary drive (usually C:)
Click "Custom size"
Allocate at least 1.5x your total RAM for Initial size
Allocate 3x your total RAM or more for Maximum size
Click Set and OK to save changes

The new virtual memory configuration takes effect after restarting your PC. Try launching the game again to see if this resolved the issue.

Upgrade Your Graphics Card to Meet Requirements

If you‘ve tried everything else, including upgrading RAM, but are still facing the error, it likely means your graphics card is too underpowered.

The Last of Us requires a gaming-grade discrete GPU with at least 4 GB of dedicated video memory. Here are some solid entry-level cards to look at:

NVIDIA GTX 1060 or better
AMD Radeon RX 580 or better

A card in this performance class paired with a decent modern processor like an Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5 should offer smooth gameplay at 60 FPS on high settings at 1080p resolution.

For higher resolutions like 1440p or 4K, I‘d recommend an even more powerful card like the RTX 3060 Ti or RX 6700 XT. When purchasing a new GPU, make sure:

Your power supply unit (PSU) provides sufficient wattage
The card dimensions fit inside your PC case
You install the latest drivers from NVIDIA or AMD

With a properly equipped graphics card, you‘ll finally be ready to embark on Joel and Ellie‘s epic cross-country journey in gorgeous high fidelity visuals.

Conclusion

No gamer wants to deal with pesky errors preventing them from playing anticipated titles like The Last of Us. But solving the “not enough video memory” problem is very achievable with some targeted troubleshooting:

Close unneeded background apps to free up RAM
Install more RAM if you have under 16GB
Update your NVIDIA or AMD graphics drivers
Increase Windows virtual memory
Upgrade your graphics card if needed

Taking the time to meet the recommended system requirements pays dividends in terms of gameplay experience. Naughty Dog crafted an incredible work of interactive art that every gamer deserves to enjoy smoothly.

Hopefully this guide has given you everything you need to squash frustrating errors and dive headfirst into one of gaming‘s most acclaimed titles. Let me know if you have any other questions! I‘m always happy to help a fellow gamer out.