Nvidia will limit crypto mining capacity on RTX 3070s and 3080s

Nvidia has announced that it will be implementing a limitation on crypto mining capacity for its newly manufactured RTX 3070 and 3080 GPUs, in an effort to combat the widespread shortage of graphics cards. This move comes in response to the surge in demand for GPUs driven by cryptocurrency mining, particularly for Ethereum.

The new GPUs will be labeled as “Lite Hash Rate” or “LHR”. According to a blog post on the Nvidia website, this reduced hash rate will only apply to the newly manufactured cards with the LHR identifier, and not to cards that have already been purchased. It is aimed at targeting the mining capacity for Ethereum, which has been a major factor contributing to the scarcity of graphics cards. While it remains uncertain whether the LHR GPUs will apply to other cryptocurrencies, these revisions from Nvidia are set to be released later this month.

The introduction of LHR cards by Nvidia is part of the company’s strategy to prioritize gamers in the distribution of its GPUs. Matt Wuebbling, Head of GeForce Marketing at Nvidia, emphasized that the new LHR GPUs are designed to ensure that gaming cards are more accessible to consumers.

However, the availability of these new LHR cards might not guarantee that everyone wanting an RTX 30 Series GPU will be able to obtain one. It’s anticipated that the demand for these cards will continue to outstrip supply. Nonetheless, Nvidia’s primary objective with the LHR GPUs is to cater to the gaming community.

It’s worth noting that Nvidia is not the only company taking measures to limit crypto mining on its GPUs. Gigabyte has also introduced its own LHR cards, specifically for the RTX 3060. Reportedly, these cards have been labeled as “Rev 2.0” models of its RTX 3060 lineup. However, the product pages for these cards are no longer available on Gigabyte’s website.

As the battle against the GPU shortage continues, the implementation of LHR cards by both Nvidia and Gigabyte represents a concerted effort to make gaming GPUs more accessible to consumers, while addressing the challenges posed by the escalating demand for cryptocurrency mining.