I can’t get excited about Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series cards

I can't get excited virtually Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series cards — here'due south why

(Paradigm credit: Nvidia)

Nvidia's GeForce RTX 30 series graphics cards are over a year old merely remain remarkably hard to observe due to the ongoing global chip and supply shortage. I became so frustrated trying to notice an Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti graphics card that I bought a pre-congenital gaming rig with said GPU. With the chip shortage projected to terminal well into 2023 by some analysts, finding an RTX 30 series card will continue to be a hard chore.

Despite the hardships customers are having getting Nvidia'due south current-gen graphics cards, we're already hearing rumblings about the company's next-gen GPUs. As nosotros previously reported, a pay-walled story from DigiTimes claimed that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 series cards are set to make it in 2022. That's backed upwardly by Nvidia CFO Colette Kress, who recently said the company aims to have improved GPU supplies in the second half of 2022, when the cards are projected to release (via PCMag).

These reports aren't exactly world-shattering. Companies take to stay alee of the contest, especially in the ultra-competitive tech sectors. At that place was no dubiousness Nvidia would be preparing to unleash the successor line to the RTX 30 series. The cards sound impressive, peculiarly if the reports are accurate almost them using TSMC's 5nm manufacturing process and Lovelace architecture; which would make for some truly powerful and efficient graphics cards.

However, because the significant challenge of obtaining Nvidia's current GPUs, I discover the idea of the RTX 40 serial cards launching anytime in the near hereafter somewhat frustrating. Why should people go excited about new cards when they can't find current-gen GPUs in stock?

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 — (Epitome credit: Shutterstock)

If Nvidia and large-box retailers don't find a manner to stop scalpers...we're all going to be outside the order hatin' while the scalpers, the retailers and Nvidia are inside swimming in cash and buttery graphics."

Sherri 50. Smith, Laptop Magazine EIC

This is a sentiment shared by Laptop Mag Editor in Main Sherri L. Smith, who I reached out to in lodge to become her thoughts on the situation.

"I'thou ever a fan of the newest, nigh powerful tech," says Smith. "And I'm fine with it costing exorbitant prices when it offset launches. What I can never co-sign is the shiny, new, expensive tech being straight up unavailable. Such is the case with Nvidia'south 30 Series GPUs. Since their launch, my fellow gamers have more oft than non been unable to get their easily on even the weakest cards in the line, let alone a 3080 or a 3090. And if they do manage what is considered by many to be an impossible chore, by and large, it's because they paid a ridiculous markup."

She had this to say most the rumored RTX 40 series cards:

"Tin I fault the wheels of process and commercialism? No and possibly. I do want to salivate over the new hotness, but I also want consumers to go a fair shot to get their easily said burn. That's not going to happen and it's infuriating. And yes, Nvidia is probably going to come out with cards designed specifically to ward off crypto miners. Only none of that matters if Nvidia and large-box retailers don't find a way to stop scalpers from using bots to purchase out the unabridged inventory. Until and then, we're all going to be outside the guild hatin' while the scalpers, the retailers and Nvidia are within swimming in cash and buttery graphics."

As Sherri said, it's easy to drool over the prospect of new and more powerful graphics cards. Despite having an RTX 3080 Ti for a fiddling nether three months, I'm curious to encounter what the RTX 40 series can bring to the table. Games look absolutely phenomenal on even the cheaper 30 series cards. How much improve will titles specifically optimized to run on twoscore series GPUs look? The imagination can run wild pondering the question. But this excitement is curtailed knowing that, if things continue as they have for about two years, few of u.s.a. will actually get to feel what the new Nvidia graphics cards can offer.

IGN Associate Tech Editor Taylor Lyles shares a similar view: "I am perplexed at the thought that an RTX 40 serial could arrive as early as next yr. Nvidia is dominating the GPU market correct now, there is no demand for them to put out more powerful cards when the RTX 30 series is just as capable of whatever graphic-intensive games are coming out right now."

Sherri, Taylor and I are coming at this from the perspective of customers. We sympathize the reality of what'south happening with regards to supply, only information technology's difficult for us to not get worked up over other gamers' disability to easily buy Nvidia's current GPUs. I personally don't see things greatly improving side by side twelvemonth. However, the manufacture analysts I reached out to see things more than objectively.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti — (Paradigm credit: Nvidia)

The current supply crunch is incredibly frustrating for anyone looking to buy a graphics carte for gaming, VR, or work. However, Nvidia can't just stand even so or it volition be uncompetitive when supply finally catches up with demand."

Avi Greengart, Techsponential

"The current supply crunch is incredibly frustrating for anyone looking to buy a graphics card for gaming, VR, or work," says Techsponential president Avi Greengart. "Even so, Nvidia tin't but stand still or it will be uncompetitive when supply finally catches upwardly with demand. Likewise, it's not similar launching new products constrains supplies of existing products – at worst, newer, better, and often cheaper GPUs supercede the prior generation. In many cases, it's additive, as the newest products are produced on new, smaller procedure node fabrication lines."

Gartner VP analyst Alan Priestly has similar thoughts. He also believes the smaller procedure node fabrication lines will help improve the scrap shortage problem.

"RTX4xxx GPUs are expected to exist on TSMC 5nm process," says Priestly. "This means smaller die size which in plough equals more than dice per wafer and thus increased GPU availability." With regard to Nvidia staying ahead of the competition, Priestly said: "Intel is entering the [GPU] market so Nvidia has to innovate new GPUs to keep ahead of its competition. Merely sticking with current 30x0 GPUs will result in loss of market place share equally gamers move to newer high perf GPUs from other vendors."

The price of the rumored RTX 40 GPUs is something else to have into consideration. We recently reported on a tweet posted by Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan, where he said next-gen gaming laptops from the likes of the Razer Blade series will encounter an increase in toll starting next year. The inflated costs, according to Tan, are tied with the "pregnant increases in component costs." There is no reason to believe this won't besides affect the price of Nvidia's graphics cards.

"We should definitely expect an increase in pricing, not so that Nvidia can make upwardly the difference between MSRP and what resellers are charging, simply to comprehend the increase in Nvidia's actual costs," says Greengart. "Transportation and labor costs have shot upwardly, input costs have risen, and the fabs are charging more to industry the fries because, well, considering they can."

While I absolutely accept a bleak and perhaps too pessimistic view on where things stand with Nvidia'southward RTX xl serial cards, I recognize that the chip and supply shortage gripping the tech industry will eventually subside. The global pandemic has overturned all aspects of life, simply the world will eventually settle on a new normal. Perhaps things will be improve by the fourth dimension the new Nvidia GPUs arrive in 2022. That's lilliputian solace, but it'due south better than nada.

For now, I'll continue enjoying the benefits provided by my RTX 3080 Ti-powered gaming rig. Even with new GPUs on the horizon, I know that games volition look astonishing on my auto for many years to come up. PC game developers won't suddenly stop optimizing titles for 30 serial cards when adjacent-generation GPUs go far. This is something all PC gamers should keep in mind too.

So I'll keep enjoying what I have and try to be optimistic for what the time to come holds. Even if I have to wait an extra year or two for Nvidia'due south RTX twoscore series graphics cards to really become available.

Tony is a computing writer at Tom's Guide roofing laptops, tablets, Windows, and iOS. During his off-hours, Tony enjoys reading comic books, playing video games, reading speculative fiction novels, and spending besides much time on Twitter. His non-nerdy pursuits involve attending Hard Stone/Heavy Metal concerts and going to NYC bars with friends and colleagues. His piece of work has appeared in publications such as Laptop Mag, PC Mag, and diverse independent gaming sites.