NVIDIA Launches Dedicated CMP HX Mining GPUs To Free Up GeForce RTX 3060 For Gamers

However, one thing that many people have wondered is just how hard will it be to obtain a GeForce RTX 3060. After all, given its $329 price tag, it's sure to be a hot ticket item. Well, NVIDIA is trying to alleviate at least some demand to make sure that the GeForce RTX 3060 gets into the hands of enthusiasts and not cryptocurrency miners looking to make big bucks on the side.

In this case, NVIDIA is altering the drivers for the GeForce RTX 3060 to "detect specific attributes of the Ethereum cryptocurrency mining algorithm" when miners attempt to use the cards. When the drivers detect these patterns being utilized, the software will automatically limit the hash rate by roughly 50 percent, negating any usefulness of deploying the card for mining.

NVIDIA hopes that with this information out in the open, it will dissuade miners from trying to gobble up the value-priced cards, hence leaving precious inventory available to enthusiasts who will use the cards for their intended purpose: gaming.

The GeForce RTX 3060 will slot in under the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti in NVIDIA’s Ampere lineup. With a price tag of $329, it is also $70 cheaper than its faster sibling, although it does come with the advantage of 12GB of GDDR6 instead of 8GB, as found on the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti.

However, NVIDIA isn't completely slamming the door on cryptocurrency mining, as it sees a potential market to tap there. So, the company is also announcing the new Crypto Mining Processor (CMP HX), a brand-new product line strictly aimed at the "professional mining" market.

These will be barebones cards that come without display outputs and only include the necessary components to perform one simple job: mine for cryptocurrency quickly and efficiently. This is helped in part by lower peak core voltages and frequencies, which helps to improve overall mining efficiency. 

NVIDIA's little detour with the CMP will also allow it to generate revenue from GPUs that couldn't pass muster in garden variety GeForce RTX graphics cards. As NVIDIA puts it, “They don’t meet the specifications required of a GeForce GPU and, thus, don’t impact the availability of GeForce GPUs to gamers.”

NVIDIA says that cards will be available from its partners like ASUS, Colorful, EVGA, Gigabyte, MSI, and Palit starting in Q1 2021.