Nvidia will artificially limit Ethereum mining on GeForce RTX 3060

[ixfd64]

https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/2021/02/18/geforce-cmp

I understand that Nvidia wants to make sure the cards are available for gamers. But dictating what users can do on hardware they've purchased probably doesn't sit well with us.

Of course, people are already talking about hacking the cards:

• https://www.pcgamer.com/nvidia-ethereum-mining-limiter-cannot-be-hacked
• https://pcinvasion.com/nvidia-hash-rate-limiter-hack
• https://techpowerup.com/278712/nvidia-geforce-rtx-3060-anti-mining-feature-goes-beyond-driver-version-could-expand-to-more-skus

[AntiProtonBoy]

But dictating what users can do on hardware they've purchased probably doesn't sit well with us.

Yeah feel the same way.

Also, nvidia is just adding extra technical debt and other cruft that increases the complexity of their hardware for not much benefit. I think nvidia is dropping the ball here. There is clearly a demand for crypto mining computation hardware, why not just build one for that purpose? They can make money on mining hardware and at the same time gamers can enjoy graphics cards without being priced out of the market by miners.

[amyk]

I like how this thread is right next to the other huge nVidia hacking thread here...

[sleemanj]

I imagine there was a conversation something like this....

NVidia engineers: "miners don't need most of the stuff in these chips, we can manufacture one for miners without the unnecessary stuff cheaper, or even use reject bin parts to bring the cost down and increase sales and availability, win win"

NVidia  accounts: "hey that's great, but if we also cripple the normal one, we can sell it for the same price or even more expensive, win win WIN"

[wraper]

Considering you cannot normally buy 3000 series GPU and 2000 series is problematic as well, it's a reasonable move. Lack of cards for sale discourages their target audience, and then after some time miners will flood the marked with tons of used GPU, thus hurting later sales. Cards without a video output do not have secondary market to compete with sales of brand new cards. Not to say miners suck as customers. First they deplete supply chain when crypto prices go up, so manufactures need to ramp-up the production. Then flood the market with used stuff and don't buy any new when crypto goes down. And manufacturers are left with warehouses filled with unsold items.

[cdev]

God, what a stupid idea, killing their own business like that. Why the hell do people buy products if not to use them? NVidia should make the best GPUs they can and let the chips fall where they may.

[ixfd64]

But dictating what users can do on hardware they've purchased probably doesn't sit well with us.

Yeah feel the same way.

Also, nvidia is just adding extra technical debt and other cruft that increases the complexity of their hardware for not much benefit. I think nvidia is dropping the ball here. There is clearly a demand for crypto mining computation hardware, why not just build one for that purpose? They can make money on mining hardware and at the same time gamers can enjoy graphics cards without being priced out of the market by miners.

Nvidia does make GPUs for mining nowadays: https://nvidia.com/en-us/cmp

[grumpydoc]

Nvidia does make GPUs for mining nowadays: https://nvidia.com/en-us/cmp

They are not really specific crypto mining parts - they are just GPU chips, possibly ones which fail some part of quality control.

Not everyone is terribly impressed:

[cdev]

But dictating what users can do on hardware they've purchased probably doesn't sit well with us.

Yeah feel the same way.

Also, nvidia is just adding extra technical debt and other cruft that increases the complexity of their hardware for not much benefit. I think nvidia is dropping the ball here. There is clearly a demand for crypto mining computation hardware, why not just build one for that purpose? They can make money on mining hardware and at the same time gamers can enjoy graphics cards without being priced out of the market by miners.

They do, its also possible to use it for general purpose computing. There are limitations such as no monitor out jacks, You can buy used ones online.