From GeForce RTX 4080 with 32GB VRAM to RTX 2080 Ti with 22 GB, Modded GPUs with More Memory Gain in Popularity Overseas

[Peter_Brosdahl]

It’s a strange world where older modded graphics cards are flying off the shelf at a time when there are no new models to be seen. Once considered an odd novelty, more of a proof of concept, it’s becoming a more common practice for those with the know-how to modify graphics card PCBs to swap […]

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[Grimlakin]

Yeaaaaa I wouldn't do that. I mean sure it would be interesting to have a 5090 with 64 or 96gb of vram... but not worth my long term ownership experience.

 

[Brian_B]

Betting they have 8 year olds huddled over in a cramped hut with no ventilation for 18 hours a day desoldering the VRAM off them.

(Does it make me a bad person that I immediately think this?)

 

[MadMummy76]

I'd risk my 2080Ti to make it 22GB. It's not very useful as is, but with 22GB many common LLMs could be fully loaded to vram

 

[Peter_Brosdahl]

And now there's a modded RTX 3080 with 20GB:

GPU market evolves backwards as modded RTX 3080 20GB cards return as cheaper gaming alternatives - VideoCardz.com

The RTX 3080 is nearly six years old, but 20GB modifications continue to appear in China. NVIDIA also continues supporting Ampere with newer DLSS models.

videocardz.com

I seem to remember that at one point folks were hoping this would be a real thing.

 

[Dan_D]

Yeaaaaa I wouldn't do that. I mean sure it would be interesting to have a 5090 with 64 or 96gb of vram... but not worth my long term ownership experience.

It’s a strange world where older modded graphics cards are flying off the shelf at a time when there are no new models to be seen. Once considered an odd novelty, more of a proof of concept, it’s becoming a more common practice for those with the know-how to modify graphics card PCBs to swap […]

See full article...

It's just the market adapting to getting ****ed in the *** with a sand paper wrapped horse sized dildo by GPU prices over the last three generations.

The problem is the same as it ever was though. A lot of older cards aren't going to be fast enough to make use of the extra VRAM in games. For AI work, the extra memory can certainly be worth while, but that's a niche application for a local GPU at home.

 

[MadMummy76]

but that's a niche application for a local GPU at home.

Maybe not for long, local AI models are getting more capable. And I think a lot of people and even professionals are more comfortable paying for their own electricity than paying a giant premium for tokens in the cloud. Not to mention the privacy / data leak concerns.

 

[Grimlakin]

Maybe not for long, local AI models are getting more capable. And I think a lot of people and even professionals are more comfortable paying for their own electricity than paying a giant premium for tokens in the cloud. Not to mention the privacy / data leak concerns.

And lets not forget as the VC (Venture Capitalist) money dries up the Nvidia circular money train will stop as well, then all of these various AI farm's out there will need to start billing enough for their tokens so their shareholders see profit. (Private or public.) In the end they will fold, their hardware will glut the market and prices will fall... pre AI boom levels? lower... I imagine somewhere just above... but we will see.