TL;DR: The situation with the RTX 3000 graphics cards is dire. Non but are we dealing with their general lack of availability, but there's also the recent revenue enhancement on Chinese imports pushing prices up. Into this mix is the skyrocketing value of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, creating mode need. Just Nvidia is contemplating a plan that could accost the latter consequence: Ampere-based cryptomining cards.

Fears that RTX 3000 shortages are set to become even worse arrived a few weeks agone when Bitcoin hit $forty,000. Compounding the problems is the 25 per centum tax on graphics cards imported from China—mobos and GPUs had been granted exemption from import taxes in September, only that expired without renewal at the end of concluding year. The situation has led to EVGA, Zotac, and Asus raising their carte du jour prices.

While gamers appreciate the RTX 3000 line's ability to offer excellent performance at a lower price, it besides makes them appealing to those building mining rigs. It'due south a situation we've seen earlier: back in 2022, soaring crypto values saw graphics card prices get through the roof equally demand far outweighed supply.

Even so, Nvidia could have a plan upwards its sleeve. Speaking at the 19th Annual J.P. Morgan Tech/Auto Forum Conference (via SeekingAlpha), Colette Kress, the company'due south principal financial officeholder, said: "If crypto demand begins or if we see a meaningful amount, we can also use that opportunity to restart the CMP product line to address ongoing mining demand."

The P106-100 6G mining carte

CMP is a reference to Nvidia'south mining-specific GPUs that lack display outputs, which are unnecessary for mining. Introducing them could aid get more RTX 3000 products to gamers, just Nvidia says it needs to come across prove of demand from miners starting time.

"We don't have visibility on how much of the GeForce RTX 30-series end demand comes from mining," said Kress. "So, we don't believe it's a big part of our business today. Gaming demand is very strong, and we recollect that'due south larger than our current supply."

Nosotros've already seen one crypto rig (above) featuring a massive 78 RTX 3080 cards (via Techarp). Assuming the owner paid $i,199 for each one, the rig would have cost $93,522, but will have paid for itself in effectually 9 - x months.

AMD expects more of its cards to arrive on the company'due south website this quarter for their MSRP. Nvidia, meanwhile, warns that supply will be "lean" until April.