Monday, January 16th 2023
NVIDIA Updates GeForce RTX 4080 Silicon with AD103-301 SKU
NVIDIA has reportedly begun shipping NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 graphics cards with a newer GPU SKU that changes the requirement for PCB design and is set to lower manufacturing costs. Previously, the company shipped its AD103-300-A1 SKU to power the GeForce RTX 4080 graphics cards. However, the new AD103-301 SKU will power the upcoming RTX 4080 cards that the company plans to ship to its AIBs and possibly use in the reference design. With the new 301 version, the GPU performance and power envelope should not change. What does change is the PCB design requirements, as the new SKU revision possesses a different chip pinout that doesn't correspond to the old design.
HKEPC has reported that GPUs with AD103-301 SKU are shipping, while VideoCardz confirms the AIB update with Gainward also offering updated cards. GALAX offers RTX 4080 models with either AD103-300/301 as well. Additionally, the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti will also see an SKU update, with AD104-250 being replaced by AD104-251. With these new silicon revisions, customers will not see any difference. However, the AIBs and NVIDIA could see a cost reduction to improve margins. HKEPC estimates around $1 BOM cost reduction with the new SKU, which will make a difference in thousands of cards shipped.
Sources:
HKEPC, VideoCardz, Galax (Image), Tom's Hardware
HKEPC has reported that GPUs with AD103-301 SKU are shipping, while VideoCardz confirms the AIB update with Gainward also offering updated cards. GALAX offers RTX 4080 models with either AD103-300/301 as well. Additionally, the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti will also see an SKU update, with AD104-250 being replaced by AD104-251. With these new silicon revisions, customers will not see any difference. However, the AIBs and NVIDIA could see a cost reduction to improve margins. HKEPC estimates around $1 BOM cost reduction with the new SKU, which will make a difference in thousands of cards shipped.
80 Comments on NVIDIA Updates GeForce RTX 4080 Silicon with AD103-301 SKU
Open up PCB design and complete card dimentions and cooler designs for AIB's free will. They should stop gatekeeping designs behind size and shape demands and just let them get creative.
Those who wonder why graphics cards look the certain way, and are very similar to each other, that's why.
I know, I'm dreaming.
Though a one dollar decrease in BOM. How much can that equate to, really?
This is why we don't have compact RTX 4080 designs.
Among other things - that will also mean different memory configs, capacity. Remember that? Now, I know that part might be asking too much, but asking is also free :)
This isn't about choosing "free will" (really?) and an iron fist, it's simply about striking a balance. And as usual, when you have to strike a balance, there will always be some that will feel cheated.
Since this isn't something we can influence, I'm really not worrying about it.
Will the RTX 4080 be $1,050 or $1,000?
Will the consumer receive a discount?:D
Let's just hope that this doesn't mean the new PCBs are of lower quality than the first ones and that nvidia is trying to lure buyers with it after all the 4080 reviews have already been done...
There's also the, somewhat irrational, "bigger is better" mentality in this. The bigger card must be better, right?
An alternative cooler design was recently reported here on TPU as well, so that doesn't seem to be dictated by NVIDIA either. Yes, I remember graphics chips having the ability to even work with different types of memory, but those times are long behind us. As far as I know NVIDIA is exclusively selling GPU+memory bundles, and given the level of integration and dependency between those components I'm not surprised. NVIDIA isn't offering alternative memory configuration on on their own consumer cards either (the last generation being Kepler if memory serves). For professional cards the only recent one I can think of is A100 being available in 40 and 80GB versions. So yes, memory configuration is dictated by NVIDIA.
Nvidia: .....
I wouldn't be surprised if the new cards we see move the connector elsewhere.
If they shuffled pins around, the most likely target was simpler tracing on the PCB. Best case scenario (but unlikely), manufacturers can get rid of one PCB layer.
My money is on supporting DisplayPort 2.0+
Odd all in.
As for savings passed on, I'm not sure savings would save (pun) the current generation. I mean, I know I'm more stingy than most, but I'm not sure I'd touch the current generation at half the current MSRPs.
All prior PCB designs need re doing to even fit the GPU due to pin out differences.
And this benefits Nvidia, because it sure doesn't benefit AIB's who invested in those designs on a margin that's been argued to be slim and now have to redo those designs.
And no performance difference, coming out of nvidia's PR department I'll believe that when it's proven externally Ty, they have prior in that regard.