The graphics card world is seeking to move forward this year with the next generation in GPU technology. With Nvidia possibly launching its 4000 series in September, and AMD recently announcing its RDNA 3, there's not much time left for this current-gen to see any new products. However, while team green is still to launch its beefy RTX 3090 Ti to see the era out with a bang, there's been sightings of a peculiar Ampere architecture that could point to the elusive card, but may also hint at something else.
According to a recent report from Tom's Hardware, referencing a tweet from @momomo_us, a rather mysterious item has been spotted on the release notes of the AIDA64 Extreme download page, which makes mention of a GA102F processor for an unnamed Nvidia graphics card. Given that the company doesn't usually insert letters after the numbered system of its processors, there's a bit of a debate about what it could mean, especially given that there's no model name alongside it.
There is a distinct possibility that it is in reference to the long-awaited Nvidia RTX 3090 Ti, a souped-up version of its previous hardware, but there are no details about it on the download page, and so it leaves things in the air a little bit. One source theorizes that the F could stand for "full," as in the 3090 Ti using the full capacity of the GA102 processor, but there may even be the possibility of the company putting together another GPU entirely. However, this is speculation at this stage, and nothing has been confirmed.
There is a good chance that it is related to the 3090 Ti, but there's been no official word from Nvidia or its partners about this, so others may have their own ideas. If it is a brand-new card in the Ampere series, then the tech giant may be cutting it a bit fine to start making new cards from this generation, especially given that the RTX 4000 could be out this year.
Of course, it all seems a lost cause anyway, given the hiked prices and shortages of tech, making it difficult to even buy an Nvidia or AMD product. While graphics card prices are starting to come down, this generation has been a tumultuous one for gamers and PC users. Hopefully, the market will begin to look a lot better over the coming months, and team green will reveal what this GA102F actually refers to.
Source: Tom's Hardware, WCCF Tech