diff --git a/src/gui/rhi/qrhi.cpp b/src/gui/rhi/qrhi.cpp
index 2bf8c3c7b67..fa0c5fadc0f 100644
--- a/src/gui/rhi/qrhi.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/rhi/qrhi.cpp
@@ -2534,16 +2534,8 @@ QRhiResource::Type QRhiTextureRenderTarget::resourceType() const
     be used with the same pipeline, assuming the pipeline was built with one of
     them in the first place.
 
-    Creating and then using a new \c srb2 that is very similar to \c srb with
-    the exception of referencing another texture could be implemented like the
-    following:
-
     \badcode
         srb2 = rhi->newShaderResourceBindings();
-        QVector<QRhiShaderResourceBinding> bindings = srb->bindings();
-        bindings[1] = QRhiShaderResourceBinding::sampledTexture(1, QRhiShaderResourceBinding::FragmentStage, anotherTexture, sampler);
-        srb2->setBindings(bindings);
-        srb2->build();
         ...
         cb->setGraphicsPipeline(ps);
         cb->setShaderResources(srb2); // binds srb2
@@ -3064,6 +3056,11 @@ QDebug operator<<(QDebug dbg, const QRhiShaderResourceBinding &b)
 #endif
 
 #ifndef QT_NO_DEBUG_STREAM
+QDebug operator<<(QDebug dbg, const QVarLengthArray<QRhiShaderResourceBinding, 8> &bindings)
+{
+    return QtPrivate::printSequentialContainer(dbg, "Bindings", bindings);
+}
+
 QDebug operator<<(QDebug dbg, const QRhiShaderResourceBindings &srb)
 {
     QDebugStateSaver saver(dbg);
diff --git a/src/gui/rhi/qrhi_p.h b/src/gui/rhi/qrhi_p.h
index fec69c607f8..f8f922cfdb9 100644
--- a/src/gui/rhi/qrhi_p.h
+++ b/src/gui/rhi/qrhi_p.h
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@
 #include <QSize>
 #include <QMatrix4x4>
 #include <QVector>
+#include <QVarLengthArray>
 #include <QThread>
 #include <QColor>
 #include <QImage>
@@ -926,8 +927,22 @@ class Q_GUI_EXPORT QRhiShaderResourceBindings : public QRhiResource
 public:
     QRhiResource::Type resourceType() const override;
 
-    QVector<QRhiShaderResourceBinding> bindings() const { return m_bindings; }
-    void setBindings(const QVector<QRhiShaderResourceBinding> &b) { m_bindings = b; }
+    void setBindings(std::initializer_list<QRhiShaderResourceBinding> list) { m_bindings = list; }
+
+    template<typename InputIterator>
+    void setBindings(InputIterator first, InputIterator last)
+    {
+        m_bindings.clear();
+        std::copy(first, last, std::back_inserter(m_bindings));
+    }
+
+    void setBindings(const QVector<QRhiShaderResourceBinding> &bindings) // compat., to be removed
+    {
+        setBindings(bindings.cbegin(), bindings.cend());
+    }
+
+    const QRhiShaderResourceBinding *cbeginBindings() const { return m_bindings.cbegin(); }
+    const QRhiShaderResourceBinding *cendBindings() const { return m_bindings.cend(); }
 
     bool isLayoutCompatible(const QRhiShaderResourceBindings *other) const;
 
@@ -935,7 +950,7 @@ public:
 
 protected:
     QRhiShaderResourceBindings(QRhiImplementation *rhi);
-    QVector<QRhiShaderResourceBinding> m_bindings;
+    QVarLengthArray<QRhiShaderResourceBinding, 8> m_bindings;
 #ifndef QT_NO_DEBUG_STREAM
     friend Q_GUI_EXPORT QDebug operator<<(QDebug, const QRhiShaderResourceBindings &);
 #endif
@@ -1066,8 +1081,15 @@ public:
     FrontFace frontFace() const { return m_frontFace; }
     void setFrontFace(FrontFace f) { m_frontFace = f; }
 
-    QVector<TargetBlend> targetBlends() const { return m_targetBlends; }
-    void setTargetBlends(const QVector<TargetBlend> &blends) { m_targetBlends = blends; }
+    void setTargetBlends(std::initializer_list<TargetBlend> list) { m_targetBlends = list; }
+    template<typename InputIterator>
+    void setTargetBlends(InputIterator first, InputIterator last)
+    {
+        m_targetBlends.clear();
+        std::copy(first, last, std::back_inserter(m_targetBlends));
+    }
+    const TargetBlend *cbeginTargetBlends() const { return m_targetBlends.cbegin(); }
+    const TargetBlend *cendTargetBlends() const { return m_targetBlends.cend(); }
 
     bool hasDepthTest() const { return m_depthTest; }
     void setDepthTest(bool enable) { m_depthTest = enable; }
@@ -1099,8 +1121,19 @@ public:
     float lineWidth() const { return m_lineWidth; }
     void setLineWidth(float width) { m_lineWidth = width; }
 
-    QVector<QRhiShaderStage> shaderStages() const { return m_shaderStages; }
-    void setShaderStages(const QVector<QRhiShaderStage> &stages) { m_shaderStages = stages; }
+    void setShaderStages(std::initializer_list<QRhiShaderStage> list) { m_shaderStages = list; }
+    template<typename InputIterator>
+    void setShaderStages(InputIterator first, InputIterator last)
+    {
+        m_shaderStages.clear();
+        std::copy(first, last, std::back_inserter(m_shaderStages));
+    }
+    void setShaderStages(const QVector<QRhiShaderStage> &stages) // compat., to be removed
+    {
+        setShaderStages(stages.cbegin(), stages.cend());
+    }
+    const QRhiShaderStage *cbeginShaderStages() const { return m_shaderStages.cbegin(); }
+    const QRhiShaderStage *cendShaderStages() const { return m_shaderStages.cend(); }
 
     QRhiVertexInputLayout vertexInputLayout() const { return m_vertexInputLayout; }
     void setVertexInputLayout(const QRhiVertexInputLayout &layout) { m_vertexInputLayout = layout; }
@@ -1119,7 +1152,7 @@ protected:
     Topology m_topology = Triangles;
     CullMode m_cullMode = None;
     FrontFace m_frontFace = CCW;
-    QVector<TargetBlend> m_targetBlends;
+    QVarLengthArray<TargetBlend, 8> m_targetBlends;
     bool m_depthTest = false;
     bool m_depthWrite = false;
     CompareOp m_depthOp = Less;
@@ -1130,7 +1163,7 @@ protected:
     quint32 m_stencilWriteMask = 0xFF;
     int m_sampleCount = 1;
     float m_lineWidth = 1.0f;
-    QVector<QRhiShaderStage> m_shaderStages;
+    QVarLengthArray<QRhiShaderStage, 4> m_shaderStages;
     QRhiVertexInputLayout m_vertexInputLayout;
     QRhiShaderResourceBindings *m_shaderResourceBindings = nullptr;
     QRhiRenderPassDescriptor *m_renderPassDesc = nullptr;
diff --git a/src/gui/rhi/qrhid3d11.cpp b/src/gui/rhi/qrhid3d11.cpp
index a47f1ff86c1..b82a68f3dd2 100644
--- a/src/gui/rhi/qrhid3d11.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/rhi/qrhid3d11.cpp
@@ -3082,7 +3082,7 @@ bool QD3D11ShaderResourceBindings::build()
     if (!sortedBindings.isEmpty())
         release();
 
-    sortedBindings = m_bindings;
+    std::copy(m_bindings.cbegin(), m_bindings.cend(), std::back_inserter(sortedBindings));
     std::sort(sortedBindings.begin(), sortedBindings.end(),
               [](const QRhiShaderResourceBinding &a, const QRhiShaderResourceBinding &b)
     {
diff --git a/src/gui/rhi/qrhid3d11_p_p.h b/src/gui/rhi/qrhid3d11_p_p.h
index cf4808510ca..6699e7ad641 100644
--- a/src/gui/rhi/qrhid3d11_p_p.h
+++ b/src/gui/rhi/qrhid3d11_p_p.h
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ struct QD3D11ShaderResourceBindings : public QRhiShaderResourceBindings
     void release() override;
     bool build() override;
 
-    QVector<QRhiShaderResourceBinding> sortedBindings;
+    QVarLengthArray<QRhiShaderResourceBinding, 8> sortedBindings;
     uint generation = 0;
 
     // Keep track of the generation number of each referenced QRhi* to be able
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ struct QD3D11ShaderResourceBindings : public QRhiShaderResourceBindings
             BoundStorageBufferData sbuf;
         };
     };
-    QVector<BoundResourceData> boundResourceData;
+    QVarLengthArray<BoundResourceData, 8> boundResourceData;
 
     QRhiBatchedBindings<ID3D11Buffer *> vsubufs;
     QRhiBatchedBindings<UINT> vsubufoffsets;
diff --git a/src/gui/rhi/qrhimetal.mm b/src/gui/rhi/qrhimetal.mm
index ca6f829acfe..4dc12f06911 100644
--- a/src/gui/rhi/qrhimetal.mm
+++ b/src/gui/rhi/qrhimetal.mm
@@ -2768,7 +2768,7 @@ bool QMetalShaderResourceBindings::build()
     if (!sortedBindings.isEmpty())
         release();
 
-    sortedBindings = m_bindings;
+    std::copy(m_bindings.cbegin(), m_bindings.cend(), std::back_inserter(sortedBindings));
     std::sort(sortedBindings.begin(), sortedBindings.end(),
               [](const QRhiShaderResourceBinding &a, const QRhiShaderResourceBinding &b)
     {
@@ -2782,7 +2782,7 @@ bool QMetalShaderResourceBindings::build()
     boundResourceData.resize(sortedBindings.count());
 
     for (int i = 0, ie = sortedBindings.count(); i != ie; ++i) {
-        const QRhiShaderResourceBinding::Data *b = srbD->sortedBindings.at(i).data();
+        const QRhiShaderResourceBinding::Data *b = sortedBindings.at(i).data();
         QMetalShaderResourceBindings::BoundResourceData &bd(boundResourceData[i]);
         switch (b->type) {
         case QRhiShaderResourceBinding::UniformBuffer:
diff --git a/src/gui/rhi/qrhimetal_p_p.h b/src/gui/rhi/qrhimetal_p_p.h
index 7fd7aba923e..688fec8147e 100644
--- a/src/gui/rhi/qrhimetal_p_p.h
+++ b/src/gui/rhi/qrhimetal_p_p.h
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ struct QMetalShaderResourceBindings : public QRhiShaderResourceBindings
     void release() override;
     bool build() override;
 
-    QVector<QRhiShaderResourceBinding> sortedBindings;
+    QVarLengthArray<QRhiShaderResourceBinding, 8> sortedBindings;
     int maxBinding = -1;
 
     struct BoundUniformBufferData {
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ struct QMetalShaderResourceBindings : public QRhiShaderResourceBindings
             BoundStorageBufferData sbuf;
         };
     };
-    QVector<BoundResourceData> boundResourceData;
+    QVarLengthArray<BoundResourceData, 8> boundResourceData;
 
     uint generation = 0;
     friend class QRhiMetal;
diff --git a/src/gui/rhi/qrhivulkan.cpp b/src/gui/rhi/qrhivulkan.cpp
index 36cbc06f5af..b7fc50d259b 100644
--- a/src/gui/rhi/qrhivulkan.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/rhi/qrhivulkan.cpp
@@ -5697,7 +5697,8 @@ bool QVkShaderResourceBindings::build()
     for (int i = 0; i < QVK_FRAMES_IN_FLIGHT; ++i)
         descSets[i] = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
 
-    sortedBindings = m_bindings;
+    sortedBindings.clear();
+    std::copy(m_bindings.cbegin(), m_bindings.cend(), std::back_inserter(sortedBindings));
     std::sort(sortedBindings.begin(), sortedBindings.end(),
               [](const QRhiShaderResourceBinding &a, const QRhiShaderResourceBinding &b)
     {
diff --git a/src/gui/rhi/qrhivulkan_p_p.h b/src/gui/rhi/qrhivulkan_p_p.h
index a390bc3707c..d83a338acda 100644
--- a/src/gui/rhi/qrhivulkan_p_p.h
+++ b/src/gui/rhi/qrhivulkan_p_p.h
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ struct QVkShaderResourceBindings : public QRhiShaderResourceBindings
     void release() override;
     bool build() override;
 
-    QVector<QRhiShaderResourceBinding> sortedBindings;
+    QVarLengthArray<QRhiShaderResourceBinding, 8> sortedBindings;
     int poolIndex = -1;
     VkDescriptorSetLayout layout = VK_NULL_HANDLE;
     VkDescriptorSet descSets[QVK_FRAMES_IN_FLIGHT]; // multiple sets to support dynamic buffers
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ struct QVkShaderResourceBindings : public QRhiShaderResourceBindings
             BoundStorageBufferData sbuf;
         };
     };
-    QVector<BoundResourceData> boundResourceData[QVK_FRAMES_IN_FLIGHT];
+    QVarLengthArray<BoundResourceData, 8> boundResourceData[QVK_FRAMES_IN_FLIGHT];
 
     friend class QRhiVulkan;
 };
diff --git a/tests/manual/rhi/mrt/mrt.cpp b/tests/manual/rhi/mrt/mrt.cpp
index 258871f9b3b..dc72c7d194d 100644
--- a/tests/manual/rhi/mrt/mrt.cpp
+++ b/tests/manual/rhi/mrt/mrt.cpp
@@ -200,12 +200,10 @@ void Window::customInit()
         { QRhiShaderStage::Vertex, getShader(QLatin1String(":/mrt.vert.qsb")) },
         { QRhiShaderStage::Fragment, getShader(QLatin1String(":/mrt.frag.qsb")) }
     });
-    QVector<QRhiGraphicsPipeline::TargetBlend> blends;
-    for (int i = 0; i < ATTCOUNT; ++i) {
-        QRhiGraphicsPipeline::TargetBlend blend;
-        blends.append(blend);
-    }
-    d.triPs->setTargetBlends(blends);
+
+    QRhiGraphicsPipeline::TargetBlend blends[ATTCOUNT]; // defaults to blending == false
+    d.triPs->setTargetBlends(blends, blends + ATTCOUNT);
+
     inputLayout.setBindings({
         { 5 * sizeof(float) }
     });
diff --git a/tests/manual/rhi/msaatexture/msaatexture.cpp b/tests/manual/rhi/msaatexture/msaatexture.cpp
index d23a4a8d475..2fb466c8d61 100644
--- a/tests/manual/rhi/msaatexture/msaatexture.cpp
+++ b/tests/manual/rhi/msaatexture/msaatexture.cpp
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ void Window::customInit()
 #else
     d.msaaTriPs->setSampleCount(1);
 #endif
-    d.msaaTriPs->setShaderStages(d.triPs->shaderStages());
+    d.msaaTriPs->setShaderStages(d.triPs->cbeginShaderStages(), d.triPs->cendShaderStages());
     d.msaaTriPs->setVertexInputLayout(d.triPs->vertexInputLayout());
     d.msaaTriPs->setShaderResourceBindings(d.triSrb);
     d.msaaTriPs->setRenderPassDescriptor(d.msaaRtRp);
diff --git a/tests/manual/rhi/texuploads/texuploads.cpp b/tests/manual/rhi/texuploads/texuploads.cpp
index f29a9891872..4c10a6b9658 100644
--- a/tests/manual/rhi/texuploads/texuploads.cpp
+++ b/tests/manual/rhi/texuploads/texuploads.cpp
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ struct {
     QRhiTexture *newTex = nullptr;
     QRhiTexture *importedTex = nullptr;
     int testStage = 0;
+
+    QRhiShaderResourceBinding bindings[2];
 } d;
 
 void Window::customInit()
@@ -100,10 +102,10 @@ void Window::customInit()
 
     d.srb = m_r->newShaderResourceBindings();
     d.releasePool << d.srb;
-    d.srb->setBindings({
-        QRhiShaderResourceBinding::uniformBuffer(0, QRhiShaderResourceBinding::VertexStage | QRhiShaderResourceBinding::FragmentStage, d.ubuf),
-        QRhiShaderResourceBinding::sampledTexture(1, QRhiShaderResourceBinding::FragmentStage, d.tex, d.sampler)
-    });
+
+    d.bindings[0] = QRhiShaderResourceBinding::uniformBuffer(0, QRhiShaderResourceBinding::VertexStage | QRhiShaderResourceBinding::FragmentStage, d.ubuf);
+    d.bindings[1] = QRhiShaderResourceBinding::sampledTexture(1, QRhiShaderResourceBinding::FragmentStage, d.tex, d.sampler);
+    d.srb->setBindings(d.bindings, d.bindings + 2);
     d.srb->build();
 
     d.ps = m_r->newGraphicsPipeline();
@@ -211,9 +213,8 @@ void Window::customRender()
             u->copyTexture(d.newTex, d.tex, desc);
 
             // Now replace d.tex with d.newTex as the shader resource.
-            auto bindings = d.srb->bindings();
-            bindings[1] = QRhiShaderResourceBinding::sampledTexture(1, QRhiShaderResourceBinding::FragmentStage, d.newTex, d.sampler);
-            d.srb->setBindings(bindings);
+            d.bindings[1] = QRhiShaderResourceBinding::sampledTexture(1, QRhiShaderResourceBinding::FragmentStage, d.newTex, d.sampler);
+            d.srb->setBindings(d.bindings, d.bindings + 2);
             // "rebuild", whatever that means for a given backend. This srb is
             // already live as the ps in the setGraphicsPipeline references it,
             // but that's fine. Changes will be picked up automatically.
@@ -259,9 +260,8 @@ void Window::customRender()
                 // underneath (owned by d.tex)
 
                 // switch to showing d.importedTex
-                auto bindings = d.srb->bindings();
-                bindings[1] = QRhiShaderResourceBinding::sampledTexture(1, QRhiShaderResourceBinding::FragmentStage, d.importedTex, d.sampler);
-                d.srb->setBindings(bindings);
+                d.bindings[1] = QRhiShaderResourceBinding::sampledTexture(1, QRhiShaderResourceBinding::FragmentStage, d.importedTex, d.sampler);
+                d.srb->setBindings(d.bindings, d.bindings + 2);
                 d.srb->build();
             } else {
                 qWarning("Accessing native texture object is not supported");
@@ -270,9 +270,8 @@ void Window::customRender()
 
         // Exercise uploading uncompressed data without a QImage.
         if (d.testStage == 7) {
-            auto bindings = d.srb->bindings();
-            bindings[1] = QRhiShaderResourceBinding::sampledTexture(1, QRhiShaderResourceBinding::FragmentStage, d.newTex, d.sampler);
-            d.srb->setBindings(bindings);
+            d.bindings[1] = QRhiShaderResourceBinding::sampledTexture(1, QRhiShaderResourceBinding::FragmentStage, d.newTex, d.sampler);
+            d.srb->setBindings(d.bindings, d.bindings + 2);
             d.srb->build();
 
             const QSize sz(221, 139);
diff --git a/tests/manual/rhi/triquadcube/trianglerenderer.cpp b/tests/manual/rhi/triquadcube/trianglerenderer.cpp
index 0980acca490..5d932aea520 100644
--- a/tests/manual/rhi/triquadcube/trianglerenderer.cpp
+++ b/tests/manual/rhi/triquadcube/trianglerenderer.cpp
@@ -94,11 +94,11 @@ void TriangleRenderer::initResources(QRhiRenderPassDescriptor *rp)
 
     QRhiGraphicsPipeline::TargetBlend premulAlphaBlend; // convenient defaults...
     premulAlphaBlend.enable = true;
-    QVector<QRhiGraphicsPipeline::TargetBlend> rtblends;
+    QVarLengthArray<QRhiGraphicsPipeline::TargetBlend, 4> rtblends;
     for (int i = 0; i < m_colorAttCount; ++i)
         rtblends << premulAlphaBlend;
 
-    m_ps->setTargetBlends(rtblends);
+    m_ps->setTargetBlends(rtblends.cbegin(), rtblends.cend());
     m_ps->setSampleCount(m_sampleCount);
 
     if (m_depthWrite) { // TriangleOnCube may want to exercise this