Remember those Frakenstein GeForce RTX 4090 48GB graphics cards emerging from China? Russian PC technician and builder VIK-on has provided detailed insights into how Chinese factories are transforming the GeForce RTX 4090, once regarded as one of the best graphics cards, to effectively double its memory capacity specifically for AI workloads.
As a mainstream product, the GeForce RTX 4090 does not support memory chips in a clamshell configuration, unlike Nvidia's professional and data center products. Essentially, this means that the Ada Lovelace flagship only houses memory chips on one side of the PCB. In clamshell mode, graphics cards typically feature memory chips on both sides of the PCB. This limitation is addressed by the GeForce RTX 4090 4GB "upgrade kit," which sells for around $142 in China.
The technician also uploaded a leaked, modified firmware onto the GeForce RTX 4090 48GB. It is important to note that each graphics card possesses a unique GPU device ID, which contains all pertinent information. During the system initialization process, the firmware verifies whether the GPU device ID corresponds with the one embedded within the chip. Hacked firmware has been present for some time.
Indeed, it was during the era of the GeForce RTX 20-series (Turing) that enthusiasts uncovered the capability to deactivate memory channels. This feature was not advantageous for the general public, as it was illogical to impair a fully functional graphics card by reducing its memory capacity. However, for repair professionals, this discovery proved invaluable, enabling them to salvage graphics cards with defective memory channels. Consequently, this led to the emergence of unorthodox models in the market, such as the GeForce RTX 3090 with 20GB of memory instead of the standard 24GB, or the GeForce RTX 3070 Ti with 6GB of memory instead of the expected 8GB.
The firmware modders identified the possibility of expanding memory capacity through the modification. Consequently, the GeForce RTX 4090 48GB and the GeForce RTX 4080 Super 32GB came into existence.
Upgrading the GeForce RTX 4090 to 48GB is an expensive endeavor. First, it is necessary to possess the graphics card in order to extract the Ada Lovelace silicon and GDDR6X memory chips. If you do not have any GDDR6X modules readily available, you'll need to purchase each module, currently priced at $24 on Chinese e-commerce platforms.
Consequently, the total cost for the upgrade is $430, excluding shipping costs. Assuming you were fortunate enough to purchase a GeForce RTX 4090 at its original MSRP of $1,599, the total amounts to $2,029. These GeForce RTX 4090 48GB graphics cards typically sell for around $3,320 in China, so you're saving close to 39% - again, assuming you have the soldering skills and access to all the equipment necessary for the upgrade. Alternatively, you can pay someone more qualified to perform the upgrade for you.
RTX 4090 supply has already started to dwindle, meaning that sooner or later, Chinese factories will likely begin experimenting with the GeForce RTX 5090, if they haven't already. A rumor is already circulating about the GeForce RTX 5090 128GB. While it may seem like a scam now, it could become a reality further down the road. Hunger is a bitch, and with the U.S. limiting China's access to high-end AI GPUs, it's just a matter of time before the next gaming flagship is t
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