NVIDIA was to adopt a new method to discourage cryptocurrency mining on its latest Ampere-based GeForce RTX 30 Series of Graphics Cards. Reports indicate the company has stayed true to its promise with GeForce RTX 30 ‘Lite Hash Rate’ Series.
Meanwhile, GALAX, the maker of SSDs and other solid-state storage devices, has warned that using its products for cryptomining will void the warranty.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 with new GA106-302 GPU embedded with Lite Hash Rate released:
NVIDIA appears to be staying true to ‘GeForce is made for Gaming’. The Graphics Cards maker had indicated it wanted to discourage cryptocurrency miners from using its products intended for gamers.
After failing on multiple occasions, NVIDIA changed tactics to make RTX 3060 GPU ‘unattractive’ for cryptocurrency mining. Reports indicated the company would launch an updated GeForce RTX 3060 GPU SKU that features a different ID.
NVIDIA is reportedly producing GeForce RTX 3060 GKU SKUs with GA106-302 ID. The company was to launch these graphics cards in May 2021. It seems the company has not only stayed the course but also expanded its strategy.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 “Lite Hash Rate” series to begin shipping mid May https://t.co/aQbXZWx3WN
— VideoCardz.com (@VideoCardz) April 28, 2021
NVIDIA is reportedly sending its AIB partners GPUs with updated silicon that would put the mining performance of the RTX 30-series cards into a less palatable price-performance territory for would-be miners. This, in turn, should bring them closer to NVIDIA’s CMP (Crypto Mining Processor) cards instead.
Reports indicate the graphics cards would not have any distinguishing indicators that reveal they aren’t optimum for cryptocurrency mining. However, these cards would have, what NVIDIA internally describes as, “Lite Hash Rate” silicon.
La nueva serie de #GPUs #NvidiaGeForce #RTX30 Lite Hash Rate contará con un limitador para el #minado de #criptomonedas.#RTX30LHR #Tarjetasgráficas https://t.co/xIQECXaXcV
— Geeknetic (@Geeknetic) April 28, 2021
The new “Lite Hash Rate” graphics cards will range throughout the entirety of NVIDIA’s already-released RTX 30-series portfolio, except the top-end NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090. It seems NVIDIA is confident the already-high prices of the RTX 3090 would anyways dissuade cryptominers.
NVIDIA is slapping these new chips with an updated SKU identification. The GA102-200 chip that powers the RTX 3080 now has GA102-202. Similarly, the GeForce RTX 3060 GKU SKUs will have GA106-302 ID.
GALAX cautions using its SSDs for cryptocurrency mining will void the warranty:
Now Storage device manufacturers have begun issuing warnings to customers who are using their SSDs for cryptocurrency mining purposes. This is because some cryptocurrencies cause exceptionally high wear of storage devices in a short amount of time.
The company reportedly issued a statement that reads: “If users use our SSD products for mining/farming and other abnormal operations, the data write volume is much higher than the daily use standard, and the SSD will slow down or be damaged due to excessive data write volume.”
GALAX Says Using Its SSDs For Cryptocurrency Mining Such as Chia Coin Will Void Warranty https://t.co/PRt9atKxHa
— TechHackNews (@TechHackNews) April 28, 2021
“After-sales by our company, after testing and qualitatively damaged according to the test results, according to our SSD product quality assurance regulations, we have the right to refuse to provide related quality assurance services. The final interpretation right belongs to the company.”
Such developments strongly indicate that hardware manufacturers expect cryptocurrency miners to swipe entire inventories in a short amount of time. Such actions cause severe shortages in the markets and upset actual or intended customers.