Nvidia discards the cheapest PC graphics card, leaving only the most expensive

If you are planning to buy a new Nvidia 40-series GPU this year, you may need to save more money than expected. This is because the GPU maker has confirmed its plans to “release” the previously planned and affordable 12GB RTX 4080. Instead, now, the 16GB RTX 4080 will launch next month.

A few weeks ago, after so many rumors and so much speculation, Nvidia has finally announced the next series of high-end PC graphics cards. The plan then was to release two different versions of the RTX 4080 GPU in November: the 16GB RTX 4080 ($ 1199) and the 12GB RTX 4080 ($ 899). It also announced $ 1,600.4,090 at the same event. It is well above these prices as one might expect, with many claiming it was too expensive. And now the “cheapest” of these expensive new cards won’t launch next month.

Read more: Nvidia’s new 40 series PC graphics cards are too expensive

As announced today by NvidiaThe company is “not releasing” the 12GB RTX 4080. He claims that this is why, although the card is “cool”, it is “disconcerting” to have two different GPUs set to “RTX 4080”. This is the echo Criticisms that have emerged from many consumers After the announcements of the last forty series; Many have suggested that the significantly lower specs of the 12GB RTX 4080 were closer to the theoretical “4070” or “4079”.

Kotaku I contacted Nvidia about the cancellation and the future of the 12GB RTX 4080 model.

In a brief statement posted on the company’s official website, Nvidia said, “Therefore, we hit the ‘Unboot’ button on the 12GB 4080.” The 16GB RTX 4080 is awesome and on November 16th it’s coming to delight customers. players from all over the world. “

Of course, it’s hard not to see this move as a way for Nvidia to push more customers, many of whom are putting off buying a new GPU for a few years. While the cards remained difficult to purchase– to spend more on a more expensive card. And while initial previews of the cheaper 12GB 4080 showed it’s much slower than the more expensive 16GB version, it was nice to have at least one option that costs less than $ 1,000. But now it’s gone. What happens remains to be seen, but perhaps Nvidia will actually end up renaming the 12GB RTX 4080s to 4070s.