Nvidia has filed before the European Union Intellectual Property Office for ownership of the numbers 3080, 4080 and 5080 in an attempt to stop AMD from using the nomenclature for the red chipmaker's upcoming Navi gaming graphics cards.
It goes without saying that branding is just as important as the product itself. AMD doesn't have a history of consistency when it comes to branding its graphics card. In the last 10 years, AMD graphics cards have gone through different naming schemes in the likes of Radeon HD, Radeon R5/R7/R9, Radeon RX and recently, Radeon VII. If the leaks are right, the chipmaker might once again switch it up with Navi.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Radeon RX 3080 | Radeon RX 3070 | Radeon RX 3060 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture (GPU) | Navi 10 | Navi 12 | Navi 12 |
| Memory Capacity | 8GB GDDR6 | 8GB GDDR6 | 4GB GDDR6 |
| TDP | 150W | 120W | 75W (no 6-pin) |
| Pricing | $249.99 | $199.99 | $129.99 |
| Competition | RTX 2070 / GTX 1080 | RTX 2060 / GTX 1070 | GTX 1650 / GTX 1060 |
*Data in the table is not confirmed.
Naturally, Nvidia felt threatened when the rumor got out that AMD could use the RX 30-series branding for its Navi offerings, such as RX 3080, RX 3070 and RX 3060. For one, Navi would definitely overshadow Nvidia's Turing graphics cards, which are currently marketed under the RTX 20-series. Normal logic says that the higher the model number, the better. An uninformed buyer would think that an RX 3060 is faster than an RTX 2060, although we know that's not always the case. If AMD gets dibs on the 30-series, it will prevent Nvidia from using it for Turing's successors.
By filing for the 3080, 4080 and 5080 trademarks in the graphics world, Nvidia hopes to discourage AMD from using the 30-series for Navi while also ensuring its future for at least another two generations of graphics cards. However, it's important to highlight that Nvidia's petition is currently under review, which means that the European Union Intellectual Property Office might not rule in favor of the chipmaker.
AMD President and CEO Dr. Lisa Su has confirmed that Navi will arrive in the third quarter of the year. It could get a reveal at AMD's "Next Horizon Gaming" event at E3.
