NVIDIA Partners Quietly Launch GeForce RTX 3060 with 8GB (128-bit) Memory

[btarunr]

NVIDIA's add-in board partners today began quietly launching the GeForce RTX 3060 8 GB, a variant of the RTX 3060 with a third of its memory size and memory bus-width sawed off. The RTX 3060, NVIDIA's best-selling desktop graphics SKU from the RTX 30-series "Ampere," originally launched with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory across a 192-bit wide memory bus, which at its reference speed of 15 Gbps (GDDR6-effective), makes 360 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The new variant comes with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory across a narrower 128-bit memory interface, with the same 15 Gbps data-rate, which works out to 240 GB/s memory bandwidth.

Besides memory size, bus-width, and bandwidth; NVIDIA hasn't tinkered with the core-configuration with the RTX 3060 8 GB. It still comes with 3,584 CUDA cores across 28 SM, which work out to 112 Tensor cores, 28 RT cores, 112 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. The GPU's base frequency is set at 1320 MHz, and boost frequency at 1777 MHz—same as the original RTX 3060. Even the typical graphics power is unchanged, at 170 W. The new 8 GB variant doesn't replace the original, but is being positioned a notch below it, possibly to compete against the likes of the Radeon RX 6600 (non-XT), and perhaps even the Arc A750.



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[Chaitanya]

So similar to 1060 3GB and "4080".

Edit: Also whats with that LHR label being used even now.

 

[chstamos]

This should be the 3050, at 3050's prices, not the pos that they're selling.

 

[wurschti]

Wasn't it Nvidia that said that same name and different memory configuration would be confusing to the customer???
I myself have Nvidia on both my systems as well, but I don't feel like supporting them in the future. Too much bs going on at the green front.

 

[Penev91]

There have been quite a few 8GB 3060M desktop cards drawing 80 watts floating around aliexpress and similar sites for the past couple of months. Performance is around 10-15% lower than a regular 3060 12GB.

 

[defaultluser]

Wasn't it Nvidia that said that same name and different memory configuration would be confusing to the customer???
I myself have Nvidia on both my systems as well, but I don't feel like supporting them in the future. Too much bs going on at the green front.

it really depends on how cheap this variant is - we still haven't seen 3050 pricing below 290 yet!

probably better to wait for the 4050 with the same memory capacity, but higher performance!

 

[wurschti]

There have been quite a few 8GB 3060M desktop cards floating around for the past couple of months. Performance is around 10-15% lower than a regular 3060 12GB.

These are Chinese cards that can be found on AliExpress. They are basically taking the notebook 3060, putting it on a PCB together with memory and selling it. Same is happening with the 6600M.

 

[cvaldes]

Also whats with that LHR label being used even now.

The designation was probably included for liability reasons.

The silicon still supports LHR. If something were to happen and crypto mining regained popularity, NVIDIA could release updated drivers to stop/reduce hashrates. ETH probably can't come back because of the PoS merge but another crypto token that can be mined on GPUs conceivably could emerge.

(Not sure how NVIDIA would deal with the existence of older non-LHR throttled drivers but that's a separate discussion for another time and place.)

This way NVIDIA can say "We stated it was LHR" and no one could successfully claim that NVIDIA willfully concealed any sort of product inferiority.

 

[mechtech]

Shhhh. Keep it on the down low. Don’t want people to know about these lower margin products.

 

[N/A]

All the noise was made for the 4090 for $2499 with fake 1599 MSRP, then the production line diverted to H100.
Why does this still exist. Production should have stopped ages ago and inventory cleared. We should be getting a 4060 with double the CUDa core by now.

 

[GunShot]

This is just not NVIDIA's month, 4REAL!

Nvidia's new flagship RTX 4090 graphics card appears to be melting power cables

 

[cvaldes]

All the noise was made for the 4090 for $2499 with fake 1599 MSRP, then the production line diverted to H100.
Why does this still exist. Production should have stopped ages ago and inventory cleared. We should be getting a 4060 with double the CUDa core by now.

Multiple sources speculate that NVIDIA has a large backlog of Ampere GPUs which would explain why retailers continue to sell low- to mid-range Ampere cards and their corresponding Ada Lovelace successors are nowhere in sight.

Note that Ampere was manufactured on Samsung's 8nm node. NVIDIA switched Ada Lovelace to TSMC foundries. It's highly unlikely that NVIDIA grabbed wafers destined for 4090 product to make these low-end 3060 cards. Likewise, the 3060 uses lower specced VRAM chips so there is no supply impact on the 4090's GDDR6X needs.

They are probably doing it because there is sharply decreasing market demand for the original 3060 12GB model at its original MSRP. By nerfing the memory controller and putting in less VRAM they can put out a cheaper alternative without completely destroying their retail partners' ability to sell through existing inventory of the better specced 3060 12GB.

NVIDIA is now focused on pushing as many datacenter GPUs out the door before the US ban on exports to China takes effect next year.

 

[Chrispy_]

Nvidia no longer care about weakening the performance of the 3060, it's long out of the review cycle.
The weaker they make the 3060 look, the better the 4060 will look when they try to ask $599 for it next year.

Me, cynical? Nooooooooooooo!

 

[tvshacker]

Nvidia no longer care about weakening the performance of the 3060, it's long out of the review cycle.
The weaker they make the 3060 look, the better the 4060 will look when they try to ask $599 for it next year.

Me, cynical? Nooooooooooooo!

I can already see it now!
4060 has 2X 3060 Performance
Footnote:
compared with 3060 8GB model not the 12GB

 

[Broken Processor]

Ah that must be the replacement for the 4080 12g

 

[Fleurious]

What next, 4090 Air MX… it’s a 4050 but with shareholder pleasing margins.

 

[_Flare]

prices (Euros) in Germany today incl shipping (new unused products)
3060 12GB 380,-
2060 12GB 325,-
2060 SUPER 8GB 300,- (some leftovers)
3050 8GB 300,-
2060 6GB 270,-

what the heck will those cut down 3060 cost? between 300 and 325 ?? or 350
MSRP of the 12GB 3060 is still 329,- or not?

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

There have been quite a few 8GB 3060M desktop cards drawing 80 watts floating around aliexpress and similar sites for the past couple of months. Performance is around 10-15% lower than a regular 3060 12GB.

I've seen those, and I keep hoping someone in chin makes a Low Profile GPU out of one of those mobile parts. Having a 6750m XT in a LP card would be awesome.

 

[sLowEnd]

Would it have killed them to call it something like a "3050 Ti"?

 

[renz496]

Would it have killed them to call it something like a "3050 Ti"?

the core count still the same as the original 3060 12GB. even if nvidia want to create a new name for it they can't say it was 3050 Ti. more like 3060 LE.

 

[JAB Creations]

Nvidia pulls these anti-consumer practices off because they're still high off of the zombie-mindshare so many people have given them.

 

[Zareek]

Wasn't it Nvidia that said that same name and different memory configuration would be confusing to the customer???
I myself have Nvidia on both my systems as well, but I don't feel like supporting them in the future. Too much bs going on at the green front.

I'm currently in the same boat. I swore off team green when they started trying to force reviewers to only do reviews that flattered their products, and then there was the GeForce Partner Program. For some reason, I thought maybe the shenanigans were over. Besides, no one outside EVGA wanted to sell me a card at MSRP. So I caved and bought team green again. I think this is my last Nvidia product.

 

[Chrispy_]

Ah that must be the replacement for the 4080 12g

No, that's the '4080' 8GB

 

[wheresmycar]

I myself have Nvidia on both my systems as well, but I don't feel like supporting them in the future. Too much bs going on at the green front.

I second that!!

Not happy at all with 30/40 series. Although i'm gonna wait a little and see what RDNA3 delivers and how NVIDIA responds.

 

[RedBear]

There have been quite a few 8GB 3060M desktop cards drawing 80 watts floating around aliexpress and similar sites for the past couple of months. Performance is around 10-15% lower than a regular 3060 12GB.

Typo maybe, but the 3060M has 6GB of VRAM, on a 192 bit memory bus; this new GPU probably will perform worse because of the narrower memory interface. Nowadays unknown Chinese retailers can make frankestein GPUs that offer better value than Nvidia's partners...