What you need to know
- Leaked images reveal what is potentially the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080.
- The leak shows off a bulky card that focuses on heat dissipation over attractiveness.
- The leaked card could also be an early version of the card sent out to brand partners.
NVIDIA's upcoming GeForce RTX 3080 graphics card appears to have leaked online. Chinese tech forum ChipHell shows off the leaks in a recent post (via Tom's Guide). The card appears to be bulky and to prioritize functionality over form factor, with dual fans and a large amount of heatsink fins.
Some have complained about the card's size and design. It's worth pointing out that this could be a card made available early to partners, and that it doesn't reflect the final design of the GeForce RTX 3080. If it is indicative of the final design, some might be unhappy with its large size. The card seems to prioritize heat dissipation over esthetics. Powering a card as powerful as the GeForce RTX 3080 will likely create a lot of heat, and NVIDIA will likely have to prioritize fans and heat dissipation over making sure the card looks good in cases with glass siding.
If rumors are correct, the GeForce RTX 3080 is a powerhouse of a graphics card that will surpass the current best graphics cards as well as the upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X. It's reportedly made on NVIDIA's Ampere architecture, making it part of the first wave of cards made using that architecture. With a card putting out that much power, heat dissipation being a priority isn't a surprise.
Confirmed details about the GeForce RTX 3080 are scarce, though it's probably safe to assume we'll see a jump in performance when compared to the current line of RTX 20xx series cards.
