GPU Wars: NVIDIA, AI, Gaming and Crypto. Part 2 - Nvidia's Response & Innovations
Nvidia resorted to lowering the efficiency of the GeForce RTX 3060 by 50% when used to process Ethereum transactions.
This would make it less economical for miners to use the GPU for mining Ethereum. The chip manufacturer said it focused on Ethereum because it has the highest mining yield for any GPU-mineable coin and thus immensely contributed to the GPU shortage.
To meet the needs of miners, the company also decided to sell a range of cryptocurrency mining processors (CMP), such as the CMP 50 HX. This would solve the GPU shortage issues and provide a better solution for mining enthusiasts without impacting gamers.
The CMP 50 HX features 10GB of GDDR6, 3,584 CUDA cores, and a 320-bit memory bus. The card is optimized for mining even on a PCle 1.0 interface with four lanes (PCIe is an interface standard for adding high-speed input output (HSIO) components to computing hardware). Nvidia doesn't disclose which GPU the 50 HX is based on, but Toms Guide speculates it's the TU102—the same chip found in the RTX 2080 Ti.
In terms of performance, the CMP 50 HX has an Ethereum hash rate of 45MH/S under room temperature with adequate cooling. Other cryptocurrency-mining processors available include the 30 HX and 40 HX at the bottom range and 90 HX at the top range.
What about ASICs?
Aren't Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) suitable for mining? These purpose-built mining computers are a better option for mining when it comes to speed and hash rate.
However, they also have some serious drawbacks.
For one, as their name suggests, these devices are very specific. Usually, ASICs can only hash one of a very small subset of a cryptocurrency algorithm. That means that if a crypto asset becomes unprofitable, you would have to resell or throw away the entire hardware. For this reason, many miners prefer the flexibility that graphics cards offer.
Another disadvantage of using ASICs is their prohibitive costs. The high costs of these computing systems make them unaffordable for novice miners.
The Future of Graphic Cards for AI Gaming, AR, Metaverse, and Likely Effects on Crypto Asset Ecosystem
Graphic cards are a key component in many computing systems and play a momentous role in powering the graphics and visual experience we experience on our computing devices.
But what does the future hold for GPUs? Here are some trends and emerging technologies we're seeing in the world of graphic cards.
1.Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
VR and AR in gaming are set to become more popular and sophisticated, and graphic cards will play a vital role in powering these experiences.
New GPUs will need to deliver the needed performance to support the growing demand for virtual reality and augmented reality. Both of these technologies enable users to experience immersive content in a computerized environment.
AR overlays digital content onto the users' view of the real world using a device such as a headset or a smartphone. VR, on the other hand, creates an artificial virtual environment that a user can interact with in real time using VR headsets or other devices.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) have a broad range of applications, from gaming and entertainment to education and research.
In gaming, these technologies provide an immersive experience, allowing users to explore virtual worlds and interact with digital characters in the real world.
A wide variety of VR headsets are designed for use with the metaverse, further expanding the list of things users can do in the metaverse. For instance, thanks to AR tech, users can try on things such as clothes or shoes.
Graphics cards are a key component in these experiences as they provide the hardware and the processing power to generate and render virtual environments and content.
2. Artificial Intelligence in Gaming
Another important trend defining the future of graphics cards is AI acceleration. The new, next-gen cards are incorporating specialized hardware and algorithms that accelerate the processing of AI and ML tasks.
For instance, Nvidia's latest GeForce 40 series is optimized for artificial intelligence and machine learning tasks. The GeForce RTX 4060 and RTX 4060 Ti feature what Nvidia calls Ada Lovelace architecture and the company's next-gen Deep Learning Super Sampling 3 (DLSS3) technology for enhanced AI gaming.
The difference between DLSS2 and its successor DLSS3 is that the latter introduces a feature that uses AI to predictively generate new frames based on geometry and past frames.
With the new generation of cards, Nvidia is sending a statement that the future of gaming is less about improving hardware performance and more about making intelligent software improvements through AI. The adoption of AI in GPUs could open up new possibilities for gaming, such as intelligent and more realistic non-player characters (NPCs).
The Rise of Blockchain Gaming
Blockchain gaming is taking center stage in the gaming world and is expected to go mainstream in the coming years. Gamers and developers are leveraging blockchain technology to construct resource-rich games and applications.
Blockchain allows actual ownership of in-game assets, which makes the contest more exciting than other games on the market. These items can be weapons, vehicles, tools, furniture, character, 3D props, or anything that can be stored on the blockchain network as NFTs.
Such ownership gives gamers more control over their gaming experience, allowing them to monetize their assets, which can be transferred outside the metaverse and exchanged for real money on crypto trading platforms.
Wrapping Up
Graphic cards are some of the most sought-after components due to their extensive applications in the gaming industry, metaverse, and the crypto world. And as crypto investors know, scarcity in a world of unlimited FIAT currency, likely means they’ll likely hold their value relatively well–at least in the short term.
These computing systems play a critical role in gaming, cryptocurrency mining, and the metaverse. In the metaverse, GPUs power the graphics and visuals we experience in digital environments. Incorporating VR, AR, and AI in GPUs will expand their functionalities, allowing users to interact better in the virtual worlds and do much more than we can even fathom today, as early on as we are.
The crypto world has also seen a rise in gaming, resulting in several new models that have emerged for businesses and the gaming community. Crypto-gaming utilizes cryptocurrencies and NFTs for in-game purchases, which can be held as such, or be converted into FIAT money.
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