author: Bartlomiej Sagan
Manufacturers Prepare RTX 3000 Models for Cryptominers
Poor availability of GPUs from the Ampere family makes it difficult for both gamers and cryptocurrency enthusiasts to buy a new GPU. However, recent reports indicate that an alternative will emerge for the latter group.
The high bitcoin exchange rate sparks the imagination of those interested in mining virtual currencies. The problem in this case is the poor availability of GPUs from both Nvidia and AMD. As it turns out, MSI (and probably other partners of GPU manufacturers) intends to introduce special variants of the chips on the market, designed for cryptominers. In fact, the EEC database (Eurasian Economic Commission) registered RTX 3060Ti models with designations Miner and Miner OC. Their technical specs are largely identical to the chipsets in the gaming version, except for the video connectors, which are unnecessary for miners.
Such a decision should not surprise anyone. Only a week ago, a representative of Nvidia stated, in connection to shortages of RTX 3000 series GPUS, that the problems may is due to the high demand from the gaming community. Moreover, despite the alleged lack of data on the number of GPUs disappearing in cryptomining rigs, a statement was made about the possibility of launching a line for chips intended for miners. That being said, the not-too-distant release of RTX 3060Ti (as suggested by an entry in the EEC database, usually added there shortly before the product arrives to stores) with variants for miners suggests that this is just part of an offering that will target virtual currency enthusiasts.
The most important question remains how this will affect the situation with GPU shortages (or deliveries of long-ordered item). Unfortunately, but reason suggests that in the best case nothing will change, and in the worst-case prices will go up and the supply of GPUs will match the demand only in the second half of 2021.