Monday, January 16th 2023

NVIDIA Updates GeForce RTX 4080 Silicon with AD103-301 SKU

Jan 16th, 2023 02:00 Discuss (80 Comments)

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

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80 Comments on NVIDIA Updates GeForce RTX 4080 Silicon with AD103-301 SKU

#26

ARF

N/A4070 ad104- 250/251 is really a 4050Ti barely any faster than 3070 OC. 3070/3080 had same ROP =96, now 4080 has 75% more 64/112. This could cost 599 ideal for budget builds.

599 alone is the price of a decent PC. I don't know who will pay 599 for a graphics card...

#27

dj-electric

bugThis 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.

There is no balance in extremely well cooled RTX 4080 designs because they all adhere to previously used RTX 4090 size form factor.
The users are getting robbed of the ability to have more case compatible designs. Thermal headroom is not much of an issue. Same story for RTX 4070 Ti designs.

Anyone who is sure that AIB's have no other abilities to design cards differently (in size, shape) has been properly programmed by NVIDIA to think so. Their ingenuity has to go through some strict guidelines before they are able to come out to market. This is very much NVIDIA's iron fist.

This is why we don't have things like this tiny ZOTAC GTX 1080 Ti anymore, not until AIBs are allowed to do so again

#28

bug

AdmiralThrawnNVIDIA making moves like this is killing small computer shops. If they drop the prices after all the computer stores have finally gotten stock we are going to lose thousands of dollars. AMD did the same thing with 7000 series. They release a product and computer shops like the one I work at order up enough stock for the holidays. Then 10 days later AMD price cuts the products after we have already payed for them so now we have to lose all of our profit because of a greedy company that wants to have their cake and eat it to. The sad part is if they do a price drop they will not lose any money, the vendors and stores will lose all of the difference.

What price cuts? What are you talking about?

Also, if you're a small shop, saw the prices for the new cards and decided to stock up, you deserver to go out of business. What are the odds you stocked up hoping for Ampere-era shortages where you would sell everything at a premium?

#29

bonehead123

Well.... a $1 BOM savings is like getting excited about saving .02 on a pack of bubblegum because you had a coupon, hehehe :)

And FYI: NO, this won't result in any price drops at retail.... this is strictly a very minor change to the manufacturing cost, but one can always dream right ?

#30

TheoneandonlyMrK

bugWhat price cuts? What are you talking about?

Also, if you're a small shop, saw the prices for the new cards and decided to stock up, you deserver to go out of business. What are the odds you stocked up hoping for Ampere-era shortages where you would sell everything at a premium?

Well with that attitude plus Nvidia's business strategy you might yet see a future where you can only buy from Nvidia and they choose what you can buy.

At that point I would be out of this hobbyverse.

#31

Denver

This is, or at least should be, technically illegal, even if the performance is identical, Nvidia is changing the characteristics of a product after it has been released without name changes or any clear indication...

#32

bug

TheoneandonlyMrKWell with that attitude plus Nvidia's business strategy you might yet see a future where you can only buy from Nvidia and they choose what you can buy.

At that point I would be out of this hobbyverse.

What attitude? He paints price cuts (imaginary, in this instance) as the bane of small computer shops. They're a common occurrence, if you can't hedge that risk, you're clearly in the wrong business.

Nvidia (or AMD) will always choose what I can buy, they don't make bespoke products. They make a handful of SKUs and you get to pick your poison. I haven't bought a video card since 2016, fwiw.

#33

jsfitz54

dj-electricYou know what NVIDIA should really do?
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.

Nvidia is traded on the stock exchange. They can not have a wild west approach to AIB design. They have to guarantee a standard.

#34

Hxx

qubitI hope it's also that bit more power efficient and allows better overclocking.

May just be quite the opposite . Worse oc on par or worse efficiency but much cheaper . Cheaper could mean less/lower quality components that still meet the standard set up by nvidia . It’s the margin that drives this move nothing else

#35

ARF

dj-electricThis is why we don't have things like this tiny ZOTAC GTX 1080 Ti anymore, not until AIBs are allowed to do so again

There won't be any technical capability to cool a 400-watt RTX 4090 with that "tiny" thing.
There are small liquid cooled RTX 4090, though, and if you are smart, these are the only viable options to buy.

MSI GeForce RTX™ 4090 SUPRIM LIQUID X 24G

#36

AdmiralThrawn

bugWhat price cuts? What are you talking about?

Also, if you're a small shop, saw the prices for the new cards and decided to stock up, you deserver to go out of business. What are the odds you stocked up hoping for Ampere-era shortages where you would sell everything at a premium?

You seem like a fun person. Actually we have 0 40 series cards in stock because NVIDIA will not sell them to small buisnesses when best buy will scalp them instead. Also every single gpu in the store is msrp or under. We were selling 3080s at 10 dollars over cost just to stay at evga msrp. That is why big price cuts hurt us so much. For big companies like newegg and best buy that scalp the cards a 100 dollar price cut would not affect them at all. Also you should maybe ask a question before you form conclusions.

#37

qubit

Overclocked quantum bit

HxxMay just be quite the opposite . Worse oc on par or worse efficiency but much cheaper . Cheaper could mean less/lower quality components that still meet the standard set up by nvidia . It’s the margin that drives this move nothing else

Yeah, maybe. We'll soon find out.

#38

bug

AdmiralThrawnYou seem like a fun person. Actually we have 0 40 series cards in stock because NVIDIA will not sell them to small buisnesses when best buy will scalp them instead. Also every single gpu in the store is msrp or under. We were selling 3080s at 10 dollars over cost just to stay at evga msrp. That is why big price cuts hurt us so much. For big companies like newegg and best buy that scalp the cards a 100 dollar price cut would not affect them at all. Also you should maybe ask a question before you form conclusions.

Now I'm confused. If do not have Ada stock, how would a hypothetical price cut hurt you?
Having to compete with the big players that buy in bulk... that I can see how it's a problem, when availability is limited :(

#39

N/A

There were no price cuts, just the USD/EUR dropped by 10%. And this is a Lottery, buying low. But still 7900 is largely unavailable, everything is being snatched immediately. Nobody is selling at a loss. Plenty of 4080 gathering dust, as opposed to 4070 and 4090 that are bestsellers.

#40

AdmiralThrawn

bugNow I'm confused. If do not have Ada stock, how would a hypothetical price cut hurt you?
Having to compete with the big players that buy in bulk... that I can see how it's a problem, when availability is limited :(

My appologies I did not really make it clear but I was more so meaning local PC shops in general will be hurt. We are a statewide shop and one of the only service centers in the area so we can compete with some retailers but on big ticket items like GPUs and CPUs it is nearly impossible. I do know this will hurt other stores in our area though who have some Ada stock (if they do a big price cut).

Also Nvidia does not do price drop credits like apple, amd, and intel. So if they undercut you a week after you order a box of cards you will still be invoiced for full price.

#41

Hxx

N/AThere were no price cuts, just the USD/EUR dropped by 10%. And this is a Lottery, buying low. But still 7900 is largely unavailable, everything is being snatched immediately. Nobody is selling at a loss. Plenty of 4080 gathering dust, as opposed to 4070 and 4090 that are bestsellers.

I would argue back that 4080 and 90 are best sellers with 4070(ti) gathering dust. How do I know this ? Well take a peak at Microcenter . A couple stores I checked including the one in my area has 50+ 4070tis in stock and some of them are priced at msrp. Meanwhile 4080 and 90 are nowhere to be found - especially the 4090

#42

sepheronx

Hey, if they can cut price nearly in half, then I'll buy a 4080. Until then...

#43

Tropick

dj-electricThere is no balance in extremely well cooled RTX 4080 designs because they all adhere to previously used RTX 4090 size form factor.
The users are getting robbed of the ability to have more case compatible designs. Thermal headroom is not much of an issue. Same story for RTX 4070 Ti designs.

Anyone who is sure that AIB's have no other abilities to design cards differently (in size, shape) has been properly programmed by NVIDIA to think so. Their ingenuity has to go through some strict guidelines before they are able to come out to market. This is very much NVIDIA's iron fist.

This is why we don't have things like this tiny ZOTAC GTX 1080 Ti anymore, not until AIBs are allowed to do so again

This is why EVGA's departure from the GPU market was so heavily mourned. They were one of the only AIB partners willing to give a fat middle finger to team green when it came to their board design/vBIOS. Their fully custom Classified/K|ngp|n edition cards will be sorely missed.

#44

dom99

ARF599 alone is the price of a decent PC. I don't know who will pay 599 for a graphics card...

You'd be surprised.

Personally I think the current GPU prices will result in a big drop in PC gaming in general, which we will start to see in a year or two.

The average person cant spend £800 on a GPU.

#45

64K

dom99You'd be surprised.

Personally I think the current GPU prices will result in a big drop in PC gaming in general, which we will start to see in a year or two.

The average person cant spend £800 on a GPU.

I think it will take more than a year or two but we will see PC gaming level off instead of the continued rising of the past. Probably the next step will be for gamers to realize that you don't need ultra settings and just turn the settings down a little and keep using the card that you already have.

In my case I can easily afford a $1,000 card but I won't be ripped off.

#46

Why_Me

dj-electricThere is no balance in extremely well cooled RTX 4080 designs because they all adhere to previously used RTX 4090 size form factor.
The users are getting robbed of the ability to have more case compatible designs. Thermal headroom is not much of an issue. Same story for RTX 4070 Ti designs.

Anyone who is sure that AIB's have no other abilities to design cards differently (in size, shape) has been properly programmed by NVIDIA to think so. Their ingenuity has to go through some strict guidelines before they are able to come out to market. This is very much NVIDIA's iron fist.

This is why we don't have things like this tiny ZOTAC GTX 1080 Ti anymore, not until AIBs are allowed to do so again

Maybe they are trying to avoid a 7900 XTX incident.

#47

Tropick

jsfitz54Nvidia is traded on the stock exchange. They can not have a wild west approach to AIB design. They have to guarantee a standard.

They have to guarantee a standard.

Isn't that the point of their FE series cards? You can already buy a standard Nvidia GPU. I don't see how giving third parties design freedom would dissuade investors from anything.

When I buy a GPU I want to push it balls to the wall just to see what the architecture is really capable of. I don't want the manufacturer I'm buying it from to be worried about conforming to a known standard because papa Huang might give them a spanking. I want them to add three times the necessary power phases and strap boost caps directly to the back of the VRAM ICs and expose the i2c bus so I can make the voltage controller hate it's existence.

Why_MeMaybe they are trying to avoid a 7900 XTX incident.

Nah the 7900 XTX debacle wasn't because it was a bad design, it was just a (bad, really bad) manufacturing defect. Also it was the MBA cooler that failed, I haven't heard of any AIB-designed 7900XTXs having this issue

#48

ThrashZone

Hi,
I leave rtx nonsense off which it is already by default and play
These new cards are nice but unnecessary to play majority of games, there 's way to much hype on new hardware especially gpu's now days
The just buy rtx thing was funny as hell though :laugh:
Hell I'm on a free games cycle so no I don't need cyberpunk/ ...

#49

80251

Wow Thrashzone you have both a 1080ti AND a Titan Xp? Why both? How much did your Titan Xp set you back? Why didn't you get a Titan V or a Titan RTX?

I'm surprised you have the latest gen of CPU's but two generation old GPU's.

#50

ARF

dom99You'd be surprised.

Personally I think the current GPU prices will result in a big drop in PC gaming in general, which we will start to see in a year or two.

The average person cant spend £800 on a GPU.

64KI think it will take more than a year or two but we will see PC gaming level off instead of the continued rising of the past. Probably the next step will be for gamers to realize that you don't need ultra settings and just turn the settings down a little and keep using the card that you already have.

In my case I can easily afford a $1,000 card but I won't be ripped off.

I also can throw a grand to the problem but I think neither company deserves to get such a significant donation from me.
They are all our no-friends, so why would we want to support their greedy schemes, even if we are enthusiasts.

I think I will buy something at the moment when at first sight I recognise it as a deal.
Examples - Radeon HD 4890 for $195, or Radeon R9 380 for €230.

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NVIDIA Updates GeForce RTX 4080 Silicon with AD103-301 SKU

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