We’re frighteningly shut now to the launch occasion for Nvidia’s ‘Lovelace’ RTX 4000 graphics playing cards, which might be going down on September 20 and is predicted to characteristic the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080. As of proper now, we’re anticipating to see three GPUs correctly showcased, although sadly this does not embrace the RTX 4070.

What it ought to embrace is the flagship RTX 4090, together with two totally different flavors of RTX 4080; one with 12GB of GDDR6X VRAM, and a full-fat model packing a extra highly effective 16GB.

Because the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 was such an unbelievable GPU, introducing 4K gaming to the mainstream PC area, we have excessive hopes for the RTX 4080. So far as we’re involved, it has the potential to be among the finest Nvidia graphics playing cards in the marketplace. 

Proceed with warning as you proceed to scroll; a lot of what we ‘know’ thus far is definitely based mostly on leaks, rumors, and affordable logical extrapolation. The data contained inside this text could possibly be proper on the cash, or it could possibly be utterly unsuitable. There is no method to know till September 20, so we await with bated breath…

Lower to the chase

• What’s it? Nvidia’s subsequent xx80-series graphics card
• When is it out? TBD, doubtless October or November 2022
• What is going to it price? TBD

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 launch date

• No official launch date but, needs to be revealed September 20
• Present leaks put on-sale date in October or November
• Unclear whether or not new playing cards will launch on the identical time

Debate has been rife for weeks concerning when the RTX 4080 will truly be launched, even this near the Nvidia presentation the place will probably be revealed. Rumors have been flying in each route, however the primary one is from famed Twitter leaker @kopite7kimi, who instructed that Lovelace, the structure the RTX 4080 might be use, might be launching “a little bit bit earlier”. 

This was in reference to earlier rumors that instructed the next-generation graphics structure could be launching on the finish of 2022. Couple that with a distinct leaker beforehand suggesting that the following graphics card might be launching in October 2022, and it is beginning to appear like we may even see the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 nearly precisely two years after the launch of the RTX 3080. Nonetheless, VideoCardz has instructed that solely the RTX 4090 will launch in October, with the 4080 following just a few weeks later in November.

Both approach, this is able to be par for the course, as most graphics card generations final for roughly two years earlier than being changed. The RTX 2080, as an example, launched in September 2018, a little bit over two years after the Could 2016 launch of the GTX 1080. And, after all, the RTX 3080 launched in September 2020, which was nearly two years on the dot. So, if Nvidia goes to maintain up its common cadence with its subsequent GPUs, we are able to assume that present leaks are correct and we’ll see no less than one RTX  4000 card launching in October 2022.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 worth

• Little or no information on pricing at this stage
• Present-gen RTX 3080 initially retailed at $699
• Two totally different fashions make guessing costs tough

Again once we initially reviewed the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080, we praised it for bringing such an enormous enchancment in efficiency at a notably lower cost level than the RTX 2080 Tremendous. In fact, the rise of crypto mining noticed GPU costs attain some frankly insane costs, so that time feels a bit double-edged in hindsight.

Nonetheless, the crypto crash occurred: chunky mining rigs with a number of graphics playing cards are being bought off en masse,  as the worth of cryptocurrencies plummeted and Ethereum’s nice ‘Merge’ noticed typical mining change into redundant. Most current-gen GPUs are literally now accessible at (or near) MSRP as soon as once more because the market stabilizes.

Nonetheless, the RTX 3080 carried an MSRP of $699 (£649) when it first launched, and generational pricing tends to not shift an excessive amount of the place Nvidia is anxious, so we are able to doubtless see a price ticket someplace in that area. Pricing data has but to be revealed (or leaked), so that is all pure hypothesis on our half.

With two totally different variations of the RTX 4080 arriving, although, it’ll be tough to precisely predict pricing. Whereas it is a pretty secure wager that one among these two variants will stick near the 3080’s $699 retail worth, which one which’ll be is full guesswork at this stage.

Our private prediction – based mostly considerably on the piggy-bank-shattering worth rumors across the RTX 4090 – is that the 12GB mannequin will arrive at $699 whereas the 16GB model will sit someplace across the $800-900 mark. We hope we’re unsuitable and the playing cards are cheaper than that, however we’re making an attempt to be practical with our expectations.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 specs

• 16GB mannequin will characteristic 9728 CUDA cores, 2,505MHz increase clock, 256-bit reminiscence bus and reminiscence bandwidth of 736GB/s
• 12GB mannequin will characteristic 7680 CUDA cores, 2,610MHz increase clock, 192-bit reminiscence bus and reminiscence bandwidth of 504GB/s
• Energy calls for will not be as extreme as initially feared

The 12GB mannequin of the RTX 4080 was, in truth, what many leakers had beforehand known as the RTX 4070 or 4070 Ti, since it’s believed to make use of a barely totally different central GPU (although nonetheless manufactured on Nvidia’s 4nm Ada Lovelace course of).

On condition that it was beforehand mistaken for a lower-tier card, it unsurprisingly sits beneath the 16GB model in nearly each space, not simply VRAM. There is not simply much less reminiscence; it is much less highly effective, too, with a smaller bus and a bandwidth of 504GB/s versus the 16GB mannequin’s 736GB/s.

The 16GB 4080 additionally has quicker reminiscence than even the RTX 4090, with a velocity of 23Gbps in comparison with 21Gbps for the opposite two playing cards. It is value noting that each leaked iterations of the RTX 4080 even have barely much less reminiscence bandwidth than the unique RTX 3080, however the reminiscence is quicker throughout the board and that card solely had 10GB of VRAM to start out with.

The previous-generation Ampere structure did not permit for as many CUDA cores. With Lovelace, we’re getting 9728 cores (and 7680 for the slimmed-down 12GB mannequin). Which means that the 16GB mannequin of the RTX 4080 has greater than the 3080 did, however the 12GB mannequin doesn’t. For the uninitiated, ‘CUDA cores’ is simply Nvidia’s title for graphics processor cores; naturally, extra is healthier.

In relation to energy necessities, there was plenty of worry round these playing cards being critically power-hungry. Older leaks pointed to energy necessities upwards of 650W, however it now appears to be like just like the 16GB RTX 4080 could have a way more affordable base TGP of 340W (285W for the 12GB mannequin). In relation to overclocking, the ceiling seems to be 516W.

Talking of overclocking: the manufacturing facility increase clock for these two GPUs might be 2,505MHz and a couple of,610MHz. Surprisingly, the quicker card is definitely the 12GB model, although that is doubtless as a result of the beefier 16GB mannequin might want to throttle sooner to keep away from overheating. Both approach, these are massively increased than the unique 1710MHz increase clock of the RTX 3080.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 design

• Quad-slot cooling design with three followers as commonplace
• No leaked photographs of Founder’s Version playing cards but
• Anticipated to be bigger and heavier than something we have seen but

It is inconceivable to evaluate at this level which picture leaks of purported RTX 4000-series GPUs are actual – and thus far, they’ve all been targeted on the flagship RTX 4090. Our US computing editor John was slightly suspicious of the fonts used on some supposed Zotac Gaming RTX 4090 packaging.

Nonetheless, we are able to count on a critically chunky RTX 4080, which can presumably use the identical new quad-slot design seen in leaked RTX 4090 photos. One leaked RTX 4090 from Galax supposedly makes use of 4 followers (a normal three-fan design, with an additional fan connected to the rear) together with a meaty warmth sink.

We have but to see Founder’s Version (FE) variations of those playing cards leak correctly, so the precise design of those is unclear at this level (though varied renders have been circulating).

Naturally, each third-party producer could have their very own fashion relating to the outside casing of the cardboard, so for those who suppose Gigabyte GPUs look higher than MSI ones, go along with your intestine. Both approach, these new GPUs are going to imply bother for PC builders, as they will be larger, heavier, and extra cumbersome than something we have seen earlier than.

Keep in mind that every thing we have mentioned right here is pure conjecture at this level; we have collated our most trusted and plausible leaks to kind this report, however there isn’t any approach of confirming which nuggets of data are true and that are hogwash. We’ll be again to replace this web page on September 20 as soon as now we have all of the information from Nvidia!