The 12nm process node in PC graphics cards is drawing a lot of interest. This is especially true among tech fans and gamers. The recent launch of the RTX 40 series (Ada) has got people talking about prices and value. I looked at data from TechPowerUp to compare these cards to older ones. I focused on how well they play games, looking at how many functions they have and how they perform. This study doesn’t cover things like new designs or better memory. But it does point out some interesting things about the RTX 40 series, especially the 4090 and 4060 Ti 16Gb models.
Key Takeaways:
- The 12nm process node has become a subject of interest for tech enthusiasts and gamers
- The RTX 40 series (Ada) graphic cards have prompted debates regarding pricing and value
- An analysis of TechPowerUp data compared gaming performance across different generations
- The analysis focused on core counts and relative performance of top-tier dies
- The findings reveal interesting trends and discrepancies, especially in the 4090 and 4060 Ti 16Gb models
The Unlaunch of the 12Gb 4080: A Shameful Move?
The Ada generation made a big change in how they released the full die on consumer gaming GPUs. The RTX 4090, using a cut-down AD102 chip, uses only 88.9% of its CUDA cores. This is lower than previous xx80 Ti cards, like the 3080 Ti. In effect, the 4090 should have been called the 4080 Ti because of this core reduction.
In the xx80 GPUs of the Ampere generation, there are also unusual core counts. The 3080, for example, uses 80% of its die. The 4080 Super uses just 55.6% of the full Ada die. Despite this, the 4080 Super’s performance and value match those of previous 80-class GPUs.
Our review also reveals the disappointing 4060. It only uses 16.7% of the full AD102 die cores and performs at 33% of the 4090’s level. These issues call into question the 4060’s value and performance.
The decisions around the 4080’s cut-down nature are important to think about. We don’t fully understand why these choices were made. But they do raise concerns about how consumers view and stay loyal to Ada.
To wrap it up, launching the 4080 with only 12Gb makes us wonder about Ada’s strategies. The core utilization, performance, and value discrepancies demand further scrutiny and discussion.
The Future of Processing: A Heterogeneous Landscape
The future of processing is about to change how we handle big data and graphics. It will bring together different types of computing engines. CPUs, GPUs, FPGAs, and special architectures will all work side by side. AMD’s APUs are a great example of this shift. They mix CPUs and GPUs in new ways. By using chiplets, they increase core counts and improve how different parts talk to each other.
Advances will mix different materials and use new ways to pack things together. This will make our tech more efficient. Although making things bigger has its limits, smart partitioning will be key. It helps to get the most from new tech. The industry is working on standardizing chiplets and new ways to put things together. They’re looking at stackable, closer-together, and even mixed technologies. Their aim is to make building tech easier and more flexible.
Memory tech is also changing to keep up. Better cache designs and stacking memory higher help performance. The future will see many types of computing come together. This mix will open new doors for data and graphics work. It’ll mean our computers get better and work faster in exciting new ways.