Graphics cards and mini PC specialist Zotac today listed a trio of new GeForce RTX 3060 Ti desktop graphics cards on its Chinese site. However, Twitter tech detective momomo_us noted that these are based on the Nvidia GA103 GPU. Up until now, all known RTX 3060 Ti graphics cards have used the GA104 GPU.
Nvidia's GA103 first blipped on our radar as a laptop part for the new GeForce RTX 3080 Ti mobile GPU, which started to become available following CES 2022. Later in January, the GA103 was first pictured. Around the same time, a sysinfo tool update pointed to a new version of the desktop GeForce RTX 3060 Ti in gestation with the same chip.
Before looking at the new Zotac models of the GA103-based GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, let's quickly recap the new and old GPUs:
|
Nvidia GeForce |
RTX 3080 Ti laptop |
RTX 3060 Ti new |
RTX 3060 Ti old |
|---|---|---|---|
|
GPU code |
GA103 |
GA103-200 |
GA104-200 |
|
CUDA Cores activated |
7,424 (97%) of 7,680 possible with this GPU |
4,864 (42%) of 7,680 |
4,864 (79%) of 6,144 |
|
Memory |
16GB on 256-bit bus, 320-bit possible with this GPU |
8GB on 256-bit bus |
8GB on 256-bit bus |
|
Transistor Count |
? |
? |
17.4 billion |
| Die Size | ~496 mm^2 | ~496 mm^2 |
392 mm^2 |
|
Node |
Samsung 8N |
Samsung 8N |
Samsung 8N |
Looking at the above specs, you will quickly see that the new RTX 3060 Ti for desktops using GA103 has a lot of deactivated cores. In addition, it is a physically larger die than what's found in the older RTX 3060 Ti with GA104. Nvidia appears to be harvesting GPU dies with too many non-functional cores to make the grade for the RTX 3080 Ti chip used for laptops.
An important question for the PC gamer or enthusiast will be whether the new RTX 3060 Ti will be a better or worse performer than the older one based on GA104. It is impossible to give a definitive answer to this, but for stock configurations we expect the same level of performance. Beyond that, the larger die could potentially allow the new GA103-based cards clock a little higher. We'll have to wait and see on that point. Of course, the GA103-based models aren't replacing the existing GA104 variants, but rather augment the supply, and the GA103 cards may be specific to Asian markets.
Zotac GA103 Model Specifics
Zotac has three new graphics cards based on the GA103:
- Zotac GeForce RTX 3060Ti-8GD6 Apocalypse GOC-X with Base 1410 MHz / Boost: 1695 MHz,
- Zotac GeForce RTX 3060Ti-8GD6 X-GAMING GOC-X with Base 1410 MHz / Boost: 1680 MHz,
- Zotac GeForce RTX 3060Ti-8GD6 PGF GOC-X with Base: 1410 MHz / Boost: 1725 MHz
The new models are all "GOC-X" suffixed, so you can easily spot them within the swollen ranks of Zotac branded RTX 3060 Ti graphics cards on the official product pages. If you dig into the new product specs pages, Zotac describes the graphics core as "GeForce RTX 3060Ti (GA103-200)." However, compared to their non-X suffixed brethren, the new models boast no spec bumps. They also all retain LHR restrictions.
From what we know now, there's no particular reason to desire or avoid the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (GA103-200). You could wait for third-party reviews of this new breed of RTX 3060 Ti desktop graphics card, but you still have to find a card in stock. We have to wonder (hope) if Nvidia's re-jigging of GPUs in this way will help bring prices down and/or improve supplies.
