Latest news with #FoundersEdition
Yahoo
16-06-2025
- Yahoo
Unreleased Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti 20GB Founders Edition engineering sample sells for $1,999 on eBay
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A rare engineering sample of the Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition with 20GB of VRAM was recently sold in an auction on eBay. This specific variant never managed to reach retail, thus making it one of the most unusual Ampere-era GPUs to surface online. According to the listing, the auction concluded with the buyer offering $1,999, which is pretty wild for a high-end graphics card that is two-generations old. The seller included photos of the GPU, showing the original packaging box and a bright green sticker on the GPU that reads, 'Not for sale, for development only.' The seller also confirmed that the unit is in excellent condition and fully functional. However, since it is not a retail product, running games or any 3D workloads would require the use of a third-party driver such as Nvidia-patcher, as there are no official drivers available for this card. This could potentially translate to poor or unstable performance, although that remains unconfirmed. Image 1 of 3 Image 2 of 3 Image 3 of 3 The retail version of the RTX 3080 Ti made its official debut in June 2021 with a starting price of $1,199. It featured 12GB of GDDR6X memory and was essentially an RTX 3090 with half the VRAM and a smaller cooling solution. Introduced midway through Nvidia's regular product cycle, it offered higher specifications and performance compared to the RTX 3080. The first rumors of a 20GB RTX 3080 Ti sparked back in December 2020 when a Gigabyte EEC listing revealed several RTX 3080 Ti 20GB models. This was followed by a firmware anonymously uploaded to TechPowerUp, meant specifically for Gigabyte's range of RTX 3080 Ti 20GB GPUs. Eventually, in September 2021, a few months after the official launch of the RTX 3080 Ti, a cryptocurrency miner revealed in a YouTube video that retailers in Russia were selling Gigabyte branded RTX 3080 Ti 20GB GPUs ranging from $2,733 to $2,837. The individual managed to get hold of a rare Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Xtreme (GV-N308TAORUS X-20GD), which was purchased from HARDVAR, a retail store in Saint Petersburg. At the time of posting the video, the GPU was priced at $3,067. The video also revealed that the only difference between the two GeForce RTX 3080 Ti models was the memory capacity. The 20GB variant offered a 67% increase in GDDR6X memory compared to the standard 12GB version. However, the higher memory model came with a narrower 320-bit memory bus instead of 384-bit. As a result, the 20GB model had lower memory bandwidth of 760 GBps compared to 912 GBps on the 12GB version. It is possible that the RTX 3080 Ti 20GB was planned as a counter to AMD's high-VRAM Radeon offerings at the time. Perhaps it was intended to target users who prioritized memory capacity for gaming, crypto, or creative workloads. Whether Nvidia changed its mind due to production constraints, shifting strategy, or overlapping performance tiers, this unreleased GPU will likely go on to become a "what-if" in Nvidia's Ampere lineup. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
The Verge
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Micro Center soft opened its Silicon Valley store with a truckload of GPUs.
The grand opening is tomorrow at 10AM PT, but you can already go shop — I even got a special look inside its GPU-filled stockroom! There's a buttload of cards, including an RTX 5090 signed by Jensen (not for sale), plenty of AMD 9070, and it'll have 'very limited quantities' of Founders Edition (including the 5090 FE) tomorrow. Maybe open the boxes before you leave, though. The highlight for me: a giant motorized revolving 3D filament wall which dispenses your color of choice. 1/19
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scalpers may have a field day with the RTX 5090 this week
Nvidia's upcoming GeForce RTX 5090 is expected to face limited availability from board partners, potentially leading to frustration for gamers eager to secure the flagship GPU. As per reports, the scarcity stems from Nvidia's tight pricing margins on the RTX 50-series, which have reportedly made it increasingly difficult for board partners to profit from custom GPU designs. According to VideoCardz, Nvidia's approach to maintaining aggressive profit margins is placing significant financial strain on its manufacturing partners. One anonymous board partner even described the MSRP pricing structure as feeling 'like charity,' highlighting how little room there is for profitability despite the premium retail cost of Nvidia's flagship GPUs. This strategy, while beneficial for Nvidia's bottom line, is creating a challenging environment for partners producing custom RTX 50-series cards. The situation was further clarified by MSI China, which recently confirmed that the RTX 50-series, including the RTX 5090, will see limited supply. While Nvidia's Founders Edition cards are expected to remain widely available, custom models featuring enhanced cooling solutions, factory overclocking, or unique designs could become increasingly hard to find. This limited availability might lead to higher demand and potential price hikes on the aftermarket. One possible explanation has been cited to the increased cost of GDDR7 memory which is being moved onto the board partners by Nvidia. While board partners do have the option of buying the GDDR7 memory independently, the pricing is not as attractive as what Nvidia sells in bundles. As Nvidia continues to dominate the GPU market, it seems intent on retaining a larger share of the profits, leaving its partners struggling to make ends meet while still delivering high-quality, innovative designs. For gamers and enthusiasts, the limited supply of custom RTX 5090 cards could evoke memories of previous GPU shortages, where high demand and low availability created chaos. Scalping and inflated secondary market prices may once again become an issue if Nvidia and its partners cannot strike a balance. With the RTX 5090 set to launch soon, the high-performance GPU is expected to push boundaries in gaming and AI workloads. However, the availability of custom variants—often the most sought-after options—may be far from ideal. Gamers may want to stay vigilant and act quickly when pre-orders open, as securing an RTX 5090 could turn into a race against time. Sign in to access your portfolio
