Nvidia is “unlaunching” the 12GB RTX 4080, which is such a wierd transfer that Nvidia made up a complete new phrase to mark the event. On one hand, it’s a constructive growth for a card that most of us thought was a really unhealthy concept. On the opposite hand, it’s additionally a really worrying signal for already rising GPU costs.

At $900, the 12GB RTX 4080 seemed like a slight worth enhance over the earlier technology — about $200. It’s a worth hike, however one which Nvidia might simply defend. Nvidia is on the report saying that the price of producing GPUs goes up, and the RTX 4090 (which has already proved highly regarded) noticed an identical $100 worth enhance over the earlier technology.

It’s arduous to defend the worth hikes now, although. The 16GB RTX 4080 is simply the RTX 4080 now, which suggests we will really examine costs one-to-one. At $1,200, the RTX 4080 is a full $500 costlier than the RTX 3080. The price of producing could also be going up, however a $100 to $200 worth enhance is way completely different than a $500 worth hike.

When Nvidia introduced the RTX 4080 fashions initially, the neighborhood noticed the 16GB mannequin as being the “true” RTX 4080 and the 12GB mannequin as being a rebranded RTX 4070. Nvidia didn’t see the 2 fashions that means. In briefings with press, Nvidia described the 12GB model as the bottom RTX 4080, whereas the 16GB mannequin was an “enhanced” model — possibly one thing much like the $1,200 RTX 3080 Ti that launched within the earlier technology.

Nvidia’s backpedaling tells a distinct story. It’s unimaginable to say if Nvidia truly noticed the 16GB model as a real successor to the RTX 3080 or it shifted stances following the overwhelmingly constructive reception of the RTX 4090. But it doesn’t matter. With the 12GB mannequin formally within the can, Nvidia is sending a transparent message: GPUs on this class ought to promote above $1,000.

There has been hypothesis that Nvidia deliberate to cement this class of GPU above $1,000 for some time. The $1,200 price ticket on the RTX 3080 Ti got here as a shock — it was a $200 enhance over the RTX 2080 Ti — and the 12GB RTX 3080 by no means obtained an official record worth, however offered above $1,000 at launch.

We simply got here out of a GPU scarcity, which skyrocketed costs on the again of elevated demand from cryptocurrency miners and restricted provide. In many instances, players had been spending two occasions the record worth for a GPU, even for playing cards out there at retailers. List costs remained in act, although, and now that the GPU scarcity is over, playing cards have slipped and settled again in towards their record costs. Most RTX 3080 fashions, for instance, can be found round $700.

That demonstrates the ability of record worth. Although provide and demand in the end dictate how a lot graphics playing cards price, the record worth units the aim submit — when provide and demand are in steadiness, GPUs ought to promote for his or her record worth. Nvidia is transferring that aim submit with the RTX 4080.

Similarly, GPU classifications have energy. Although Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is on the report as saying “it’s just a number” in reference to the 2 RTX 4080 fashions, Nvidia clearly understands how segmenting two GPUs beneath that identify is deceptive. It’s good that Nvidia is lastly recognizing that reality, nevertheless it shouldn’t distract from the $500 worth enhance that the RTX 4080 now carries.

It’s simple to get wrapped up in hypothesis about Nvidia (and AMD, for that matter) growing record costs to match scalper costs. Up thus far, although, that’s all it has been: hypothesis. We now have a transparent signal of rising GPU costs, not on account of demand or provide or scalpers, however merely on account of charging extra technology over technology.

Editors’ Recommendations