NVIDIA cancels the 12GB GeForce RTX 4080.
Were you puzzled by NVIDIA’s recent unveiling of two GeForce RTX 4080 models with notably different features? You’re not alone. NVIDIA has decided to “unlaunch” the 12GB RTX 4080 due to concerns about confusion among consumers. Although the company still considers the 12GB version to be a solid graphics card, it admitted that the lower-spec model was not appropriately named. NVIDIA did not provide details on whether or how it intends to reintroduce the card, and offered no further comments when questioned.
The 16GB RTX 4080 is still scheduled to be released on November 16th, priced at $1,199 for NVIDIA’s Founders Edition. This effectively raises the starting price for RTX 40-level hardware. However, the situation may not be as negative as it seems. The 12GB version was expected to start at $899, but the involvement of third-party manufacturers likely would have driven the actual prices higher.
The confusion surrounding the products mainly arises from differences beyond just the amount of RAM. While the 12GB model features 7,680 CUDA cores and a 192-bit memory bus, its higher-end counterpart offers 9,728 cores and a 256-bit bus. Despite sharing the RTX 4080 branding, the 12GB unit provides significantly lower performance, with NVIDIA’s benchmarks showing it lagging behind the 16GB model by up to 30 percent in popular games. This could be disappointing for consumers who expected similar performance from the 12GB card in all situations, not just those reliant on RAM.
The cancellation of the 12GB RTX 4080 is unlikely to pose a major issue for NVIDIA. The launch of the RTX 4090 reportedly caused long lines at stores, and the 4080 could still be a popular choice for gamers who cannot justify the $1,599 flagship model. Nevertheless, it is unusual to witness a misstep of this nature—NVIDIA misjudged the market to the extent that it had to scrap a graphics card before it even reached consumers.
