Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 could be imminent — here's the proof

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GeForce RTX 3080 draws nearer as Nvidia cuts more Turing GPUs

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
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The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 looks like it’s getting closer to launching as Nvidia is reportedly cutting its GeForce RTX 2070 Super graphics card. 

Nvidia has been slowly halting production of its Turing architecture-based GeForce 20-series graphics cards, with MyDrivers noting that the RTX 2070 Super — which launched in September 2018 — will be joining the likes of the RTX 2080 Ti, RTX 2080, and RTX 2070 in retirement. It’s worth noting that Nvidia hasn’t officially confirmed that these Turing cards are up for the chop, but with the next-generation Ampere-based GeForce cards set to debut in the fall, it makes sense for production of the current-gen cards to wind down. 

All this means that the GeForce RTX 2060 and the GeForce GTX 1660 are the only non-laptop GeForce cards that appear to still be in production. You’ll still be able to get hold of the supposedly discontinued GeForce graphics cards if retailers have them in stock. 

But it looks like there will be no more of the aforementioned GeForce GPUs sent to graphics card makers, meaning that the supply of most of the GeForce 20-series will slowly dry up. At the same time, with the new Ampere GeForce GPUs on the horizon, retailers could quite heavily discount some of the discontinued graphics cards just to shift stock. Keep an eye out for a bargain if you are looking to build a gaming PC on a budget. 

We’re expecting the next wave of GeForce cards to replace the current lineup in a step-by-step fashion. The GeForce RTX 3080 is likely taking over from the GeForce 2080 Ti as the top Nvidia consumer GPU, potentially in September. We’d then expect the RTX 3070 to follow in October, and then a mid-range RTX 3060 to arrive at the end of the year or early 2021.

With AMD prepping its Nvidia-killer Big Navi graphics card, also set to be released in the fall, the next-generation GeForce GPUs will need to come sooner than later in order to keep the competition at bay. 

Roland Moore-Colyer
Roland Moore-Colyer

Roland Moore-Colyer a Managing Editor at Tom’s Guide with a focus on news, features and opinion articles. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he’s also got an interest in cars. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face.