GPU Memory Leak

GPU memory consistently increases over time while playing the game, until GPU memory runs out and performance decreases drastically. I played with GPU-Z running on a second monitor and recorded GPU memory at each zone for a while, and the memory seems to increase by 100-200MB every zone transition, even returning to an instance I was already in. I have tested both DX12 and Vulkan and it is reproducible on both. I will try again with DX11 and post a follow up if it reproduces there as well.

Memory reported by GPU-Z for each zone transition:
7039MB - the tunnel
7225MB - the quarry
7289MB - the refinery
7506MB - highgate
7723MB - the quarry
7735MB - the belly of the beast
7876MB - the rotting core
8102MB - oriath docks

Bug report reference number: 1,185,999,691
System specs:
-Ryzen 7 5800X3D
-32GB RAM
-RTX 2080
-3440x1440 Windowed Fullscreen


It appears several people have reported it on reddit as well: https://old.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/12ff8v2/is_there_a_memory_leak_my_fps_keeps_dropping/

Reproduces in DX11 as well, although I haven't maxed out my memory yet so performance is still OK.


4935MB - Aspirants Plaza
5052MB - Estate Walkways (start of cruel lab)
5081MB - Aspirant's Trial
5255MB - Estate Walkways
5328MB - Sanitorium Halls
5340MB - Aspirant's Trial
5372MB - Sanitorium Halls
5406MB - Estate Crossing
Forgot to check - Aspirants Trial
5769MB - Oriath Docks

Bug report reference number: 3,751,785,293

Some additional observations:
- Vulkan performance is far more sensitive to memory, it starts degrading at around 80% usage, while DX12 manages until 100%, I guess due to residency management it does better.
- Memory increases by a smaller amount for less-complex zones, such as Aspirant's Trial. Maybe geometry data?