NVidia Unlaunching the 12GB 4080

In a surprise move, NVidia has announced in a news post on their website that they will be Unlaunching The 12gb 4080 graphics card. You could assume this in response from the negative feedback towards the upcoming card. Many assumed the RTX 4080 12GB card as actually a 4070 due to it having different gpu chip from the 16gb version, as well as a 30% performance decrease from the RTX 4080 16GB gpu.

NVidia Unlaunching 12GB 4080 (credit NVidia)

Many reviewers noticed that the reason behind the 30% performance decrease between the 12GB and 16GB 4080 cards was not due to the ram difference, but due to the gpu chip being completely different and the reduced memory bus. This added confusion as both cards are labeled as 4080 by name, but technically different. This led many to call the RTX 4080 12GB actually a 4070 and not a 4080. You can see in the image below from NVidia’s website the differences between the two cards, but somehow bearing the same name.

4080 12GB and 4080 16GB (credit Nvidia)

When looking up the part numbers of the RTX 4080 12GB and the RTX 4080 16GB, many noted that even the part number of the GPU was different between the cards. The RTX 4080 16GB is the AD103-300-A1 chip, and the RTX 4080 12GB is the AD104-400-A1 part number. Two different cards bearing the same name (4080), with a 30% performance difference seemed odd.

Time will tell if NVidia launches the 12GB as the 4070, or a different name al together.

Link: Unlaunching The 12GB 4080 (NVidia.com)

-AudioCraZ