Graphics cards are essential components of computers, responsible for rendering images and videos. They are crucial for video games, content creation, artificial intelligence and other graphics-intensive tasks.
Why are Nvidia cards sold under different brand names?
Nvidia, as a manufacturer of graphics processing units (GPUs), designs and manufactures the chips, but it does not generally manufacture complete graphics cards. Instead, it sells its GPUs to partners called AIBs (Add-In Board partners) such as ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, and EVGA, who create the complete graphics cards. These partners often add their own cooling systems, board designs, and sometimes factory overclockings, allowing a diversity of choice and prices on the market.
Here are a few reasons why Nvidia is adopting this model:
- Specialisation and innovation: By delegating the manufacture of complete graphics cards to its partners, Nvidia can concentrate on innovation and the development of new GPU technologies.
- Diversity and options for consumers: AIB partners offer cards with different cooling solutions, sizes and additional features, giving consumers more choice.
- Sharing risks and costs: Sharing responsibilities and production costs with several partners enables Nvidia to reduce its risks and benefit from the extensive production capabilities of its partners.
Why do prices vary for similar cards like the RTX 4070?
Prices may vary due to a number of factors:
- Cooling system:
- Boards with more advanced cooling systems (such as three-fan solutions or liquid cooling) generally cost more because of manufacturing costs and improved efficiency.
- Component quality:
- Components such as VRMs (voltage regulation modules) and capacitors can vary in quality. Boards using high-quality components are often more stable and durable, justifying a higher price.
- Design and aesthetics:
- Graphics cards with more polished designs and aesthetic features such as RGB lighting can be more expensive. These features add value for users who care about the appearance of their PC.
- Overclocking:
- Some cards are factory pre-overclocked, offering slightly better performance than standard versions. These cards require additional testing and higher quality components to guarantee stability, which increases the cost.
- Warranty and support:
- Warranty conditions and customer support can vary between brands. Some offer longer warranties or better customer service, which may be reflected in the price.
Meaning of Ti, Ti Super, etc.
- Ti (Titanium ) :
- Indicates a higher performance version of a graphics card. For example, an RTX 3070 Ti will be more powerful than a standard RTX 3070. Ti versions often have more CUDA cores, higher clock speeds and sometimes better cooling solutions.
- Super:
- Used to indicate an upgraded version of an existing card with slightly better performance. For example, an RTX 2060 Super offers better performance than a standard RTX 2060, often thanks to an increased number of CUDA cores and higher clock speeds.
- Other information:
- Nvidia may use other suffixes or prefixes to designate specific features or special editions. For example, “Founder’s Edition” refers to cards directly manufactured and sold by Nvidia with a reference design.
Difference between RTX and GTX
- GTX:
- The GTX range focused primarily on graphics performance for games and other graphics applications. GTX cards do not have hardware acceleration for ray tracing. They use Pascal or earlier architectures and are suitable for traditional games and graphics applications.
- RTX:
- The RTX range introduces advanced capabilities such as real-time ray tracing and DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling). RTX cards use specific cores (RT cores for ray tracing and Tensor cores for AI calculations) for more realistic graphics and improved performance in applications using AI. The Turing architecture inaugurated this series, followed by the Ampere architecture and more recently Ada Lovelace.
RTX Series Key Technologies
- Ray Tracing in Real Time:
- Ray tracing simulates the behaviour of light to produce incredibly realistic graphics. The RTX 20xx introduced this technology, which has been enhanced in the RTX 30xx and RTX 40xx series, enabling high-quality light, shadow and reflection effects in real time.
- DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling):
- DLSS uses AI neural networks to increase frame rates while maintaining image quality close to native resolution. This makes it possible to play at higher resolutions and graphic parameters without sacrificing performance.
In summary, Nvidia graphics cards are offered by different manufacturers to provide a variety of choice and price points, and differences in designations such as Ti or Super generally indicate enhanced levels of performance and functionality. The GTX and RTX ranges are distinguished by the introduction of advanced technologies in the RTX cards.
