Had been you confused when NVIDIA launched two GeForce RTX 4080 fashions with considerably completely different capabilities? You are not alone. NVIDIA is “unlaunching” the 12GB RTX 4080 over issues they’re complicated. Whereas the corporate nonetheless believes the 12GB model is a strong video card, it stated the lower-spec mannequin is “not named proper.” The corporate did not say if or the way it may relaunch the cardboard, and did not elaborate additional when reached for remark.
The 16GB RTX 4080 continues to be on monitor to launch November sixteenth at a worth of $1,199 for NVIDIA’s Founders Version. This successfully raises the bottom worth for RTX 40-level {hardware}. This won’t be as dangerous because it sounds, thoughts you. The 12GB version was supposed to begin at $899, though its dependence on third-party producers was prone to elevate real-world pricing increased.
The muddled messaging largely stems from variations past RAM portions. The place the 12GB mannequin consists of 7,680 CUDA (general-purpose processing) cores and a 192-bit reminiscence bus, its higher-end counterpart gives 9,728 cores and a 256-bit bus. You are getting a significantly slower GPU with the 12GB unit regardless of the RTX 4080 branding, and the gaps are someday large. NVIDIA’s own benchmarks confirmed the 12GB board trailing its 16GB sibling by as much as 30 p.c in well-known video games. That may very well be greater than slightly disappointing should you purchased the 12GB card anticipating related efficiency outdoors of RAM-dependent conditions.
The cancellation will not essentially create a lot of a headache for NVIDIA. The RTX 4090 launch reportedly created traces at shops, and the 4080 may simply be the go-to GPU for players who cannot fairly justify the $1,599 flagship. Nonetheless, it is uncommon to see a misstep like this — NVIDIA misjudged the market to the purpose the place it needed to axe a graphics card earlier than it reached prospects.
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