Due to the high power consumption of Nvidia's GPUs based on the Ampere architecture, there aren't many GeForce RTX 30-series graphics cards for Mini-ITX systems. This week, Galax introduced its gamer focused GeForce RTX 3060 Metal Master Mini card that can fit into even the smallest Mini-ITX systems.
According to VideoCardz, [FG] refers to "For Gamers" and is essentially an LHR card designed to reduce the hash rates of crypto-mining, but gamers enjoy the full benefits of the card.
Measuring 168 × 115 × 40 mm, The Galax GeForce RTX 3060 Metal Master Mini [FG] is a typical GA106-based graphics card with a GPU featuring 3584 CUDA cores that operates at recommended 1320 MHz – 1777 MHz and is accompanied by 12GB of 15GT/s GDDR6 memory. The board requires a single eight-pin auxiliary PCIe power connector, and has four display outputs (three DisplayPort 1.4a sockets, and one HDMI 2.1).
Mini-ITX form-factor aside, the key feature of the Galax GeForce RTX 3060 Metal Master Mini [FG] is its single-fan cooling system with a metal cover on top. A properly made metal shroud promises to vibrate less than one made of plastic, and also serves as an additional heat spreader. As an added bonus, the fan stops spinning when the load is light and temperatures are low, so the card promises to be quiet, at least when working with productivity applications.
Since the Galax GeForce RTX 3060 Metal Master Mini [FG] is not factory overclocked, its performance is in line with basic GeForce RTX 3060 boards. Given its modest cooling systems we are not sure whether the card is even a candidate for significant overclocking.
So far, Galax has announced the Galax GeForce RTX 3060 Metal Master Mini [FG] only in China, and did not disclose its price. Keeping in mind the fact that Mini-ITX gaming systems are rather popular worldwide, chances are high that the company will offer something similar in other markets.
