A video from Paulo Gomes and the harteck team showing off the new mods for the RTX 30 graphics card. Unlike the RTX 3070 GPU that was modded to support 16GB of VRAM, this mod is even more unusual, and one we haven’t seen before.
The RTX 3060 originally launched with 12GB of display memory, which was the only option until the RTX 3060 8GB was released late last year. The two cards actually share the same CUDA core specs, but there are major differences in memory. Instead of a 12GB GDDR6 configuration connected to a 192-bit memory bus, the cheaper RTX 3060 gets 8GB of GDDR6 and a 128-bit memory bus. This can become a bottleneck when playing high-quality games, and opting for the 12GB VRAM option seems like a better choice in 2023. But if you end up with an 8GB version of the RTX 3060, there are obviously ways to retrofit it. Turns out the card can still be retrofitted back to 12GB as long as it’s professional and has room for the extra memory.
Most RTX 3060 8GB cards use the original PCB design to hold up to 8 memory modules. The RTX 3060 8GB selected for this test has only four modules installed, leaving enough space for adding more modules.
But the modification doesn’t end with a memory replacement. Resistor changes and a BIOS replacement on the 12GB model were also required to trick the card into supporting the 192-bit memory bus. In other words this mod will never work if there is never a 12GB BIOS available.
Before and after mod modification, the graphics card was tested using Unigine Superposition. The card was set to 100% power limit and the same fan speed to avoid any potential bottlenecks and ensure there were no differences between test methods. The modified 1080p Extreme profile scored a 22 percent improvement.
This modification should only be done by professionals and professional equipment, and RTX 3060 8GB owners should never try it at home.
