In a move that has raised eyebrows in the tech community, Nvidia has quietly released a new version of its GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card with slower GDDR6 memory, while maintaining the same price point as the original GDDR6X model.
The original RTX 4070, launched about 18 months ago, featured 12GB of GDDR6X memory running at 21Gbps, providing 504 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The new variant, which has begun appearing on store shelves, comes equipped with 20Gbps GDDR6 memory, resulting in a 5% reduction in bandwidth to 480 GB/s.
Key points about this change:
- Performance impact: Benchmarks show a 2-4% decrease in gaming performance on average, with some titles seeing up to a 5% reduction.
- Pricing: Despite the downgrade, the GDDR6 version is being sold at the same price as the GDDR6X model.
- Identification: Both versions are simply labeled as GeForce RTX 4070, making it difficult for consumers to distinguish between them.
- Market positioning: The performance reduction narrows the gap between the RTX 4070 and cheaper competitors like AMD's Radeon RX 7700 XT.
This move has been met with criticism from tech enthusiasts and consumers alike. In a poll conducted by Hardware Unboxed, 90% of respondents expressed significant annoyance with Nvidia's decision.
The practice of releasing multiple variants under the same product name is not new for Nvidia. Similar tactics were employed with previous generations, such as the controversial DDR4 version of the GT 1030 and the 8GB variant of the RTX 3060.
While the performance impact is relatively minor in this case, the lack of transparency and maintained pricing have raised concerns about consumer rights and fair marketing practices. As the GPU market continues to evolve, buyers are advised to research carefully and verify specifications before making a purchase.
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| A performance comparison chart showing average frame rates of different graphics cards, highlighting the implications of Nvidia's downgrade on the RTX 4070’s gaming capabilities |