Since cryptocurrency mining became a hot business, miners have been swallowing the best GPUs to increase their production, making it harder to find and buy those GPUs. Fortunately, Nvidia announced that its next RTX 3060 GPU will feature new software drivers that make it less desirable for cryptocurrency miners, while also launching a new GPU dedicated to mining.
Nvidia says the RTX 3060 GPUs, launched on February 25, will come with software drivers that detect when the GPU is using the Ethereum cryptocurrency mining algorithm. The GPU will limit the hash rate (the unit of measurement of how fast a GPU is processing cryptocurrency), making the GPU about 50% less effective for miners.
Nvidia CMP is the company’s answer to miners, featuring several updates that make it more effective in specific cryptocurrency mining. It is essentially the computational strength of a GPU without the graphics.
“CMP products – which do not make graphics – are sold by authorized partners and optimized for the best mining performance and efficiency,” said Nvidia. “They do not meet the required specifications for a GeForce GPU and therefore do not affect the availability of GeForce GPUs to players.”
CMP also has no video outputs and has a lower peak voltage output, improving its mining efficiency.
“With CMP, we can help miners build the most efficient data centers while preserving GeForce RTX GPUs for gamers,” said Nvidia.
Crypto miners, scalpers and generally strong demand have made it incredibly difficult to find 30 series GPUs, like the highly coveted RTX 3080, since September last year. When the value of Bitcoin and Etherium skyrocketed last October, with Bitcoin reaching levels of $ 20,000 per Bitcoin, demand for GPU increased even further, according to Tom’s Hardware. Nvidia previously stated in January that the availability of its 30 series GPUs will remain low in the coming months.
Demand for the RTX 3060, Nvidia’s most affordable 30-series card for $ 329, is likely to continue the trend. Nvidia’s plans for 30-series mobile GPUs may alleviate this problem, but it will cost the purchase of a complete gaming laptop.
Joseph Knoop is a writer / producer at IGN. My feelings about Twitter.