What to expect from NVIDIA’s next-gen Super GPUs

The leaks about Nvidia’s upcoming Super GPUs are getting out of control. The steady stream of details has been ongoing for months, leaving little surprise when the cards are officially revealed.

We’re discussing the RTX 4080 Super, RTX 4070 Ti Super, and RTX 4070 Super—these will be the initial three models in the lineup. Thanks to numerous retailers and distributors worldwide, we’ve already gathered a significant amount of information about the upcoming GPUs. While the details might not be flawless, they do provide a pretty clear picture of what these cards will be like.

The RTX 4080 Super is anticipated to have a slight speed bump, reaching 23Gbps for its 16GB GDDR6X memory. This translates to a 2.6% increase in bandwidth, hitting 736GB/s across the 256-bit memory bus. In contrast, the RTX 4070Ti/4070 Super will stick with a 21Gbps memory speed.

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Don’t expect too much in the speed department

The clock speeds will undergo slight tweaks, as the RTX 4080 Super shifts from 2205/2505 MHz (base/boost) to 2295/2550 MHz compared to the non-Super version. On the other hand, the RTX 4070 Ti Super and RTX 4070 Super are likely to stick to the same boost clocks as the original models (2610 MHz and 2475 MHz, respectively). There’s only a minor alteration to the base clocks, now set at 2340MHz and 1980MHz.

The rumored power consumption or TDP specs indicate 320W for the RTX 4080 Super, 285W for the RTX 4070Ti Super, and 220W for the RTX 4070 Super. Essentially, only the RTX 4070 Super is looking at a minor 20W bump in power usage. The 12VHPWR power connector is making a return, but unfortunately, none of the leaked custom models seem to be using standard connectors, suggesting that Nvidia might be pushing its partners to go for the high-power connector.

Keep in mind that all the specs mentioned earlier are from leaks and speculations, so there’s a chance they could change or turn out to be inaccurate.

Interestingly, several RTX 40 Super series GPU models from well-known board partners like Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI have been seen online. MSI is anticipated to launch a minimum of 12 new models, with four for each SKU. Additionally, there was a recent leak featuring the Asus RTX 4070 Super Dual OC Edition, discovered by @momomo_us on X/Twitter.

NVIDIA could face stiff competition from Gigabyte

In a more recent development, Aorus, Gigabyte’s gaming division, dropped a teaser for an upcoming GPU set to be unveiled at CES. Though we can’t quite figure out which GPU is in the teaser image, it appears to resemble Gigabyte’s Aorus Master series, showcasing ‘Windforce bionic shark’ fans and an RGB ring around each fan.

The teaser dropped just a day after an EEC filing spilled the beans on Gigabyte’s complete lineup of upcoming GeForce RTX 40 Super GPUs. The word is that the company is going all out with at least 10 RTX 4080 Super, 11 GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super, and 12 GeForce RTX 4070 Super cards. Nvidia has a special presentation set for January 8, and even though the invitation doesn’t explicitly state what they’ll be revealing, what’s on the horizon is pretty obvious.

Based on the numerous leaks and clues over the past few months, it looks like the RTX 40 Super series will make its debut in January 2024. While it might be a letdown for enthusiasts who were expecting an early RTX 50 series release, it’s a silver lining for those who wisely held off on getting an RTX 40-series GPU. It’s also intriguing because we haven’t witnessed a Super refresh since the RTX 20-series.

Of course, the real deal is still the performance, and that’s the key piece of info we’re waiting for with these new cards. Nvidia will likely make some performance claims, but it’s only when independent reviews hit that we’ll get the real scoop on how powerful they truly are.

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Should you wait to buy a gaming laptop?

If you’ve been thinking about getting a gaming laptop, it looks like the smart move might be to go shopping now instead of holding out for new hardware. Even though there are rumors swirling around about Nvidia possibly releasing three new desktop GPUs soon, it seems like those graphics cards won’t be making their way into laptops anytime in the near future. So, is there really any reason to wait for the RTX 40-series refresh if you’re a laptop user? Probably not, for a variety of reasons.

Given that Nvidia has a “special address” scheduled for CES 2024, the general consensus is that this is when the company will make the official announcement about the RTX 40-series refresh.

Nvidia already boasts an impressive lineup of high-end graphics cards, making the refresh appear somewhat unnecessary. However, the optimistic outlook is that these new GPUs could potentially drive down the prices of existing Nvidia cards. If the RTX 40-series refresh comes to fruition, desktop users might snag a superior GPU for the same price or enjoy reduced prices on the non-Super models. That’s why, at the moment, buying a Nvidia desktop GPU might not be the wisest move.

In theory, the same principle would apply to gaming laptops if RTX 40 Super GPUs were to hit the scene. However, as per XMG, a company specializing in laptops and desktop PCs, this Super refresh might not extend to mobile cards.

The company spilled some beans in a roadmap update for XMG and Schenker laptops, offering customers a peek into its 2024 plans. This suggests that Nvidia is currently focusing on the desktop segment, and it looks like RTX 40-series laptops will probably maintain their usual high prices. Maybe the Super refresh will hit mobile GPUs down the line, but it doesn’t seem like it’s happening in the next few months.

It might be a smarter move to go ahead and shop now instead of waiting. With lots of Black Friday gaming laptop deals currently up for grabs, if you spot one you fancy, go for it — we might not witness any substantial price drops for months if XMG’s prediction holds true.