Nvidia reportedly preparing a Blackwell-based Titan GPU — maybe that 4-slot prototype cooler will show up again

Nvidia
(Image credit: Nvidia)

Nvidia is reportedly prepping a Blackwell-based Titan graphics card that will deliver unbeatable performance, surpassing even the upcoming GeForce RTX 5090, reports Overclock3D.net citing RedGamingTech. The information about Nvidia's intention to develop its next 'big' graphics card has been confirmed by @kopite7kimi, a renowned hardware leaker. But there's a small catch: Just like the rumored RTX 4090 Ti / Titan, the product may never see a retail release.

Nvidia's range-topping "Titan AI" is said to be based on the GB202 graphics processor and deliver 63% higher performance compared to the GeForce RTX 4090 while also offering a 15% higher performance than the future GeForce RTX 5090, according to RGT. However, specifications of the rumored add-in-board are unknown, and considering we're possibly two or three quarters away from the rumored release timeframe for Blackwell-based products for consumers, any information concerning them should be taken with a healthy serving of salt.

For now, the only thing that @kopite7kimi has confirmed is that Nvidia's next-generation product lineup has at least one graphics card based on the 'Big Blackwell' GPU (GB202). This could be the GeForce RTX 5090, seemingly destined to rank among the best graphics cards, or it could be an RTX 5090 Ti or indeed the so-called Titan AI.

"The biggest problem is whether it will actually be used for sale," @kopite7kimi wrote in an X post. "Titan based on Ada Lovelace also exists, but it has never been sold."

Nvidia's Titan graphics cards have always belonged in a class of their own. When Nvidia released its first Titan in early 2013 and then the Titan Z in mid-2014, the company clearly positioned these boards for no-compromise gamers. But starting from the Titan X, Titan Xp, and Titan V — based on the Pascal and Volta microarchitectures — Nvidia repositioned Titan cards as solutions aimed at prosumers. These graphics boards not only offered unbeatable performance, but also came with Nvidia Studio drivers for professional graphics applications. There were also no limitations when it came to AI and HPC performance.

Nvidia decided to skip any Titan with the Ampere generation, opting instead for the GeForce RTX 3090 Ti instead. Then with its Ada Lovelace GPUs, the company stopped at the RTX 4090 — possibly because it couldn't even ship that part to one of its primary markets, China, or perhaps because even the GeForce RTX 4090 didn't have a direct rival from AMD. Or maybe it was because RTX 4090 cards were already experiencing issues with melting 16-pin connectors. There were RTX 6000 Ada Generation professional graphics card for AI, HPC, and ProViz that featured more active CUDA cores than the GeForce RTX 4090 aimed at gamers, but also lower power limits.

With the Blackwell family the situation could repeat itself, and Nvidia may not need or even want to release this rumored Titan AI GPU. Instead, we could see a professional board with a nearly 'full' GPU enabled that will offer great performance, with a price far beyond what gamers or even prosumers are willing to pay. We're still months away from even the earliest potential launch window, and Nvidia could launch a Titan card any time between then and perhaps 2026. For now, we'll take the usual stance of waiting to see what ultimately gets announced.

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Anton Shilov
Contributing Writer

Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.

  • ThomasKinsley
    I hope Nvidia understands that the series number is not supposed to be the same as the MSRP.
    Reply
  • valthuer
    Unless AMD can mount some serious challenge for the top spot (and i'll be very surprised if they do), i can definitely see Nvidia ditching this GPU - just like they did with 4090 Ti.
    Reply
  • Notton
    Ain't no way they will sell a GB202 with 32GB or 48GB of RAM, unless they can milk it.
    At the very least, they'll price it so it doesn't cut into B200 sales.
    Reply
  • stonecarver
    If this comes true I will schedule some time for 2034 to buy one and this should by than be another door stop over the hill card. I'm patent :evil:
    Reply
  • CmdrShepard
    ThomasKinsley said:
    I hope Nvidia understands that the series number is not supposed to be the same as the MSRP.
    They understand, now they are using it as the card thickness measure.
    Reply
  • helper800
    CmdrShepard said:
    They understand, now they are using it as the card thickness measure.
    4 slot = 4 racks.
    Reply
  • TheOtherOne
    CmdrShepard said:
    They understand, now they are using it as the card thickness measure.

    helper800 said:
    4 slot = 4 racks.
    I, for one, can't wait for series 90XX for them to finally be able to claim, it's over 9000! At least in $$ price, who cares about performance.
    Reply
  • subspruce
    So the RTX 5090 won't use the full GB202. I've been predicting that for a long time.
    Reply
  • helper800
    subspruce said:
    So the RTX 5090 won't use the full GB202. I've been predicting that for a long time.
    The 4090 and 3090 didn't use their full die's either right?
    Reply