RTX 3080 12GB rumored to be announced tomorrow
While it missed a slot at CES 2022, the new RTX 3080 could be revealed tomorrow
It's been rumored that a new model of the RTX 3080 featuring 12GB GDDR6X VRAM will be announced tomorrow at 6am PT / 9am ET, according to sources speaking to WCCFTech. Here's everything you need to know regarding RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders.
It's believed that RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders should launch alongside the announcement tomorrow. At the time of writing, though, there has been no official word on the exact price or general market availability.
It's been expected that the new RTX 3080 12GB variant will feature a power increase of roughly 3% over the original 2020 model. As expected, there's a bump up in CUDA cores, an increase up to 8960 as opposed to the standard model's 8704.
It's in the 2GB memory increase that the differences become most apparent, however, as this version is reported to feature the same 384-bit memory bus interface as the RTX 3080 Ti. This theoretically allows for the same bandwidth of 912 GB/s over the first edition's 760 GB/s for significant performance improvements.
Speculating on the RTX 3080 12GB price, it's likely to land somewhere in the middle of the standard RTX 3080 and the RTX 3080 Ti. The former was priced at $699 and the latter carried a launch MSRP of $1,199. The original source estimates the RTX 3080 12GB price at between $899 and $999.
Retailers to check for RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders
- Check Best Buy for RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders
- Check Amazon for RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders
- Check Newegg for RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders
- Check Walmart for RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders
- Check B&H Photo for RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders
- Check Adorama for RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders
When will RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders go live?
It's been speculated that RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders will be launched as soon as the announcement goes live. We cannot currently say whether this will be a simple press release from Nvidia (either on social media or its website), or as some kind of brief video package as we saw at CES 2022.
What we do know is that RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders are going to be in extremely high demand, with only a few minutes of activity before the well dries up. We strongly suggest an early start to your morning with official Nvidia sources at the ready to stand any chance of ending your long-standing component hunt.
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If you've wanted to build one of the best gaming PCs possible, then the RTX 3080 12GB is likely to be one of the best graphics cards for gaming at a more consumer-friendly rate than the RTX 3080 Ti.
Where could RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders be?
There are several online retailers that are likely to host RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders as soon as the veil is lifted in the early morning hours. These are the most reliable storefronts likely to be carrying units.
RTX 3080 12GB | (Check Best Buy)
Best Buy has been the gold standard for RTX 30 restocks for many months now. Should RTX 3080 12GB pre-orders be announced tomorrow, we strongly recommend logging into Best Buy for your best chance at getting one.
RTX 3080 12GB | (Check Amazon)
The world's largest online retailer is likely to carry RTX 3080 12GB stock in some capacity. While it's largely been inconsistent when it comes to availability and stock drops, the sheer expanse covered by Amazon means some RTX 3080 12GB activity should take place.
RTX 3080 12GB | (Check Newegg)
Newegg has been reliable with RTX 30 series GPU launches in the past, and it stands to reason that January 2022 will be no different. It's definitely worth checking in here, too.
RTX 3080 12GB | (Check Walmart)
Walmart is likely to have RTX 3080 12GB stock available, though it's generally been more inconsistent than some other online retailers in this regard. We suggest checking all of them on the day at any rate to optimize your chances.
Will more RTX 3080 12GB stock be available in 2022?
The RTX 3080 originally launched back in September 2020 and has been notoriously challenging to track down even 16 months after the fact. Nothing is yet known about the general availability of the new units, but given how challenging RTX 3080 stock and RTX 3080 Ti stock has been to get your hands on, we're willing to bet it'll be a similar story here.
If you miss out on securing the RTX 3080 12GB at major retailers on day one, then it's likely going to be very difficult to secure one for its respective MSRP. This is to say nothing of the bots and scalpers online, as well as the crypto miners that are eager to bulk-buy GPUs. Our best advice is to be attentive tomorrow morning and listen out for the announcements, ensuring you strike as soon as retailers go live with stock - if, indeed, pre-orders are on their way.
We'll be bringing you the latest RTX 3080 12GB pre-order news along with all the retailers offering the coveted GPU at release as soon as more information is available.
What else could be announced tomorrow?
Nvidia's Special Address at CES 2022 briefly revealed the RTX 3090 Ti, as Jeff Fisher told us to wait later into January for more details. It's been theorized that we could possibly get the RTX 3090 Ti's release date and pricing information, alongside confirmation of the RTX 3070 16GB.
An EEC filing was made by Gigabyte last month which suggested the possible existence of an RTX 3070 Ti 16GB back in December. It's possible that we could receive an official confirmation on this new model as well. As of yet, nothing is set in stone, so it all remains to be seen on the day.
Interested in more RTX 3080 action for the best prices? RTX 3080 laptop deals and RTX 3080 PC deals are the best way to get your hands on one right now.
Aleksha McLoughlin served as the Hardware Editor for GamesRadar from June 2021 until August 2022. Her main area of expertise was the PC gaming platform, which comprised buying guides, features, reviews, and news coverage on components and prebuilt machines. She was also responsible for gaming chairs and storage. She now works on a freelance basis while studying to become a university lecturer specializing in English for foreign territories. Prior to joining GamesRadar, she wrote for the likes of Expert Reviews, The Rory Peck Trust, No Clean Singing, Vinyl Chapters, and Tech Spark while also working with the BBC.