Ripple has launched yet another affordable gaming laptop in Nepal – the Ripple Raze. It brings the latest 11th gen Intel CPU and NVIDIA’s RTX 3050 GPU. So, let’s walk through the specifications, features, price, and availability of Ripple Raze in Nepal.
Ripple Raze Overview:
Design and Display
Here, the Ripple Raze flaunts a 15.6-inch Full HD IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate. The display covers 72% NTSC and 100% sRGB color space. It has slender bezels on the sides with thick bezels on the top and bottom. As it’s a gaming laptop, it is relatively heavy, weighing 2.2 kg.
Furthermore, the laptop has an RGB-backlit (single-zone) keyboard and features a metallic build.
In terms of performance, the Raze is powered by an Intel Core i5-11400H processor. This CPU features 6 cores, 12 threads, and has a maximum boost frequency of 4.50GHz. Complementing this is the Nvidia RTX 3050 MAX-P graphics. To note, Max-P GPUs are rated to consume more power and ultimately deliver greater performance than the Max-Q design.
Moving on, the laptop’s base version comes with 8GB RAM and 256GB Solid State Drive (SSD) storage. However, one can upgrade it up to 32GB DDR4 RAM (2x SO-DIMM slots) and 1TB of storage.
Rest of the specs
Other than this, Ripple Raze has a stereo speaker setup and comes with Sound Blaster Cinema 6 for audio gratification. It makes use of Bluetooth CNVi and Intel Dual Band Wi-Fi 6 for wireless connectivity. Fueling the laptop is a 41Wh 4-cell Li-ion battery which is charged via a 120W Full Range AC adapter. I/O options include three USB Type-A (1x USB 3.2 Gen1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2, 1x USB 2.0), one USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, one Mini DisplayPort, and one HDMI port.
RAM: 8GB DDR4, 2× DDR4 SO-DIMM (expandable up to 32GB)
Storage: 256GB SSD (expandable up to 1TB)
Graphics:Nvidia RTX 3050 MAX-P
Battery: 41Wh Li-Ion, 120W power supply
Webcam: HD camera
Connectivity: Dual-band WiFi 6, Bluetooth CNVi
I/O ports: 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, 1x USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C, 1x USB 2.0 port, 1x Mini DisplayPort, 1x HDMI out (with HDCP)
Warranty: 2 years (plus lifetime technical support, servicing)
Ripple Raze Price in Nepal and Availability
Ripple Raze is available for pre-order in Nepal where its price starts at NPR 150,000. But those who pre-order the laptop can get it for just NPR 135,000 on top of free laser engraving and other goodies. You can pre-order Ripple Raze in Nepal by visiting the company’s website, Facebook page, or by contacting them on WhatsApp.
Over the weeks, we saw multiple leaks about the Redmi Note 10 Ultra. The device was set to be unveiled at today’s launch event. However, we did not get to see it. Instead, Redmi launched the 5G variant of the Note 10 Pro. The phone is currently exclusive to the Chinese market and is quite different from the global variant of the Note 10 Pro. Let us look at the key specs, features, expected price, and availability of the Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G in Nepal.
Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G Overview:
Design and Display
Here, Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G features a 6.6-inch display with a center-placed punch-hole cut-out. The refresh rate and touch sampling rate are listed at 120Hz and 240Hz, respectively. But contrary to the global variant of Note 10 Pro that features an AMOLED screen, this one has an LCD panel.
At the back, the camera module looks slightly different but it is in its usual position. The phone is available in three colors – Magic Green, Star Yarn, and Moon Soul. Redmi has used a stereoscopic grating technique for the rear panel. This results in a textured finish, which the company claims is fingerprint-resistant.
Performance
Under the hood, MediaTek’s Dimensity 1100 runs the show. It is a 5G chipset based on TSMC’s 6nm process that was announced earlier this year. This cannot go head-to-head against Qualcomm’s best but is better suited at value-for-money devices like this one.
Redmi says the Note 10 Pro 5G performs 72% better than its predecessor. The inclusion of UFS 3.1 storage could also have contributed to it.
To keep the core temperature of the device down during intensive tasks, Redmi has included a VC (Vapor Chamber) liquid cooling system with temperature sensors. The total heat dissipation area is 16,370mm2. This includes the surface area of all the components including the vapor chamber, graphite layer, thermal gel, and copper foil.
Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G only has three cameras at the back. The 64MP primary camera uses a 1/2” sensor that shoots 4-in-1 pixel binned images by default. It’s a downgrade from the 108MP sensor that is on both the Note 9 Pro 5G and Note 10 Pro (Global).
This is accompanied by an 8MP sensor with an ultrawide lens. There is a 2MP camera with a macro lens to make up the numbers. The rear camera setup is capable of recording 4K videos at 30 fps.
Moving on, Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G has a 16MP selfie camera up front that can record 1080p videos at 30fps.
Rest of the features
Backing the whole setup is a 5,000mAh Li-ion battery. A 67W charger is included in the box which even supports PD and QC charging protocols. In terms of connectivity, Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G supports 5G connectivity, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and NFC.
The stereo speakers here are custom-tuned by JBL. The phone supports Hi-Res audio in both wired and wireless connection. For the latter, you’ll need a Type-C to 3.5mm dongle as the phone does not have a headphone jack.
Moving on, Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner for biometrics. It also uses the Razer Mechanical Keyboard app that we saw on the Redmi K40 Game Enhanced Edition. The keyboard has multiple custom-made features including “RGB lighting” effects, sound effects, and X-axis linear “mechanical feedback.”
Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G Price in Nepal & Availability
Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G will be available in China from June 1 where its price is 1,599 Yuan for the 6/128GB variant. The 8/128, 8/256GB variants are priced at 1,799 Yuan, 1,999 Yuan, respectively. We expect the price of the Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G in Nepal to start at NPR 34,000 if and when it launches here.
Redmi Note 10 Pro 5G
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
6/128GB
1,599 Yuan
NPR 34,000
8/128GB
1,799 Yuan
NPR 37,000
8/256GB
1,999 Yuan
NPR 42,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max.
Arm has officially announced the release of its Armv9 CPU architecture and third-gen Valhall-based Mali GPUs, which are designed to deliver next-generation performance. The new Armv9 CPU family comprises the Cortex-X2, Cortex-A710, and Cortex-A510 cores while the new Mali GPU lineup includes Mali-G710, G610, G510, and G310.
Armv9 CPU and Mali GPU
Here, Armv9 CPU architecture aims to improve speed while also upgrading machine learning, digital signal processor (DSP), and security experiences for consumers. With the release of the new Arm products, 32-bit processors will be phased out, making 64-bit architecture the standard.
Cortex-X2
Arm’s most powerful CPU to date is the new Cortex-X2. According to the company, Cortex-X2 delivers up to 16% performance gain and double the speed of machine learning processing compared to its predecessor.
It is the successor to Cortex-X1 used in this year’s flagship chipsets, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 888 and Samsung’s Exynos 2100. Furthermore, it outperforms the most recent Android flagships by 30% and 2020 mainstream laptop CPUs by 40%.
The company is deploying the DynamIQ Shared Unit-110 (DSU-1110) CPU cluster to support up to eight Cortex-X2 cores too. But we doubt any chipmaker will actually implement this. It will also enable larger L3 caches of up to 16MB, which will assist to minimize data latency.
Arm’s next offering is the Cortex-A710, the first Armv9 “big” CPU. This mid-tier CPU will provide a 10% performance boost over Cortex-A78. It also gains 30% better energy efficiency and a twofold boost in machine learning processing.
Next, the Cortex-A510 has a new “LITTLE” high-efficiency core. It is expected to be 35% faster than Cortex-A55, which was first revealed almost four years ago. Furthermore, compared to its predecessor, this is 20% more energy-efficient and 2x faster for machine learning tasks. In addition, the Cortex-A710 and Cortex-A510 also use DSU-110 as the CPU cluster.
Similarly, all Armv9 CPUs have Secure-EL2, which provides a standard secure isolation method for trusted services. They also feature Crypto instructions in NEON and SVE2 space, as well as speculation barriers with micro-architectural built-in, which helps to mitigate side-channel attacks.
3rd gen Valhall Mali GPUs
Mali-G710
Along with unveiling the new CPU cores, Arm also introduced the new Mali GPUs based on third-gen Valhall architecture. The company’s next flagship GPU is the Mali G710. It provides up to 20% gain in performance and power efficiency, as well as a 35% boost in machine learning over the Mali-G78.
It has a command stream frontend (CSF), which Arm claims help fulfill the requirements of new APIs like Vulkan as well as future mobile gaming content trends.
Mali-G610, Mali-G510, Mali-G310
Moving on, the Mali-G610 is a sub-premium GPU with the same new CSF as the Mali-G710. Similarly, the Mali-G510 GPU is 22% more energy-efficient and boasts a 100% speed gain over its predecessor.
Finally, the Mali-G310 is the new entry in the budget GPU lineup. It outperforms the Mali-G31 by 6x in texturing performance, 4.5x in Vulkan performance, and 2x in Android UI content rendering.
Armv9 CPU, Mali GPU Availability
There is no way we will get Armv9 based chipsets this year as chipmakers have already announced their flagship chipset for 2021. However, we will be seeing them in 2022’s flagship Android smartphones.
Meanwhile, check out our review of Razer Blade Stealth 13.
Redmi has launched its latest wireless earbuds in a launch event held in China today. The new AirDots 3 Pro is the first TWS from the company to feature Active Noise Cancellation. Here, we will be talking about the key specifications and features of the Redmi AirDots 3 Pro, along with its expected price in Nepal.
Redmi AirDots 3 Pro Overview:
Design
AirDots 3 Pro comes in an oval-shaped charging case, which has an LED indicator light on the front. There are two colors to choose from – Black and White. As expected, the earbuds inside match the color of the case. The design is a continuity of what we have seen on earlier entries in the AirDots lineup.
Each earbud weighs 4.9g while the charging case weighs around 55 grams with the earbuds included. The earbuds are IP68 rated and come with three different-sized silicone earplugs inside the box too.
Moving on, Redmi AirDots 3 Pro features a 9mm composite dynamic driver with an impedance of 32 Ohm. It has been tuned by Mi Audio Lab and supports four adjustable sound effects. Xiaomi has included three microphones in the AirDots 3 Pro. There is a neural network-backed call noise reduction feature for interference-free calls.
Active Noise Cancellation
But the biggest feature here is the Active Noise Cancellation. Redmi claims that it can reduce noise by up to 35 decibels. The earbuds can automatically switch between depth, mild, and balanced noise reduction based on the surrounding with the help of an AI system. There is also a transparency mode that enhances human voice so that users can communicate without the need to take off the earbuds.
Game Mode
Another highlight of these earbuds is the low latency mode. Redmi claims that it can limit the latency to up to 69ms. And you don’t need to manually activate it either. The earbuds automatically enter the Low Latency mode when you open the game, courtesy of the AI system mentioned earlier. But, this is only compatible with Xiaomi phones running MIUI 12 or later.
Besides this, the 35mAh battery on the AirDots 3 Pro is rated for 6 hours of playback time. That is with the ANC turned off and volume at 50%. Similarly, the 470mAh cell on the charging case can extend that to 28 hours. It also has fast-charging support.
Here, a quick charge of 10 minutes can add up to 3 hours of battery backup (earbuds + case). In addition, the charging case supports Qi wireless charging as well. Other features include Bluetooth 5.2, dual-connection, wear detection, and touch control.
Redmi AirDotes 3 Pro will be available in China from June 11 where its price is 349 Yuan. But Redmi is offering it at an introductory price of 299 Yuan. We expect the price of the Redmi AirDots 3 Pro in Nepal to be around NPR 7,000 if and when it launches here.
Wireless TWS
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Redmi AirDots 3 Pro
349 Yuan
NPR 7,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro.
Netflix is the biggest video streaming platform in the world and at this point, it has pretty much conquered Hollywood. Now, it seems the company wants to have its hand in the gaming industry too. According to the latest rumors, Netflix could be looking to create its own gaming platform.
Netflix gaming platform
The report first broke from The Information which suggests that the streaming giant is allegedly searching to recruit an executive to lead a possible video game division. Moreover, Netflix is not only planning to appoint a gaming executive. But it’s is also in talks to create its own Apple Arcade-like platform. The Information also said that Netflix has chosen not to include ads in the game.
In addition, Reuters and Axios also confirmed that Netflix is looking for a gaming manager. The Axios article also cites that it is like a “smaller Apple Arcade” that would “feature a mix of licensed Netflix intellectual property and original work from independent studios.”
The streaming giant hasn’t publicly disclosed about its next gaming service but has shared some hints on The Information and Polygon. Netflix says that its members “value the variety and quality of our contents”. And the company is “excited to do more with interactive entertainment”.
Furthermore, Netflix has a lot of its IPs that have their game adaptation such as Stranger Things, La Casa de Papel, and To All the Boys. So, the company clearly sees the value of video games.
A different strategy?
As its growth in the US market slowed and competition surged, the company’s shift to gaming is likely an attempt to increase its subscriber base. Netflix has already referred to Epic Games’ Fortnite as its biggest rival over alternative streaming platforms like Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and Hulu.
That’s because Epic Games is working on “the Metaverse” which is a kind of virtual environment where people gather for shared experiences in real-time.
Launch
To date, the reports suggest that Netflix could probably start its gaming platform as early as 2022. However, nothing has been laid into the grounds yet.
Meanwhile, check out our review of Razer Blade Stealth 13.
Lenovo has launched the Yoga Pad Pro 13 in China. This Android tablet from Lenovo comes with a bunch of exciting features like kickstand-cum-handle, flagship-level chipset, stellar display, and the ability to use it as an external monitor. In this post, we will be discussing each of these features in detail along with the expected price of the Lenovo Yoga Pad Pro 13 in Nepal.
Lenovo Yoga Pad Pro 13 Overview:
Design and Display
Let us start with the display. The 13-inch LTPS panel on the Yoga Pad Pro has a 2160 x 1350 resolution with a 16:10 aspect ratio. Also, the screen covers 100% of the sRGB color gamut and it can get as bright as 400 nits. That’s not all. It even supports multiple HDR formats such as HDR10 and Dolby Vision. This screen is also TÜV Rheinland certified for low blue light emission.
You can even buy a “Xiaoxin” stylus separately to go with the tablet. It has 4,096 different pressure levels.
The tablet has an Alcantara exterior which is common in sports cars. The handle or the kickstand is made from CNC-machined stainless steel. It can rotate 180-degree and weighs around 830 grams.
Performance and Software
Lenovo has not compromised in the performance department either. Yoga Pad Pro 13 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 870 chipset. It is clocked slightly higher than last year’s flagship Snapdragon 865+. The Prime core on the 870 can go as high as 3.2GHz. This has been paired with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage. Thus, the tablet is capable of all basic tasks and even gaming.
Yoga Pad Pro ships with Lenovo’s ZUI 12.5, which is based on Android 11. It comes with a feature that can force landscape modes in apps that do not support it natively. There is also a dedicated computer mode for easy multi-window operation.
Children can benefit from the built-in learning platform. Additionally, parents can monitor their children’s usage from an app too. Similarly, it also supports app projection to an external display through an HDMI connection.
Rest of the specs
Fueling the tablet is a 10,200mAh battery that is rated for 12 hours and 8.5 hours of video playback in tablet and display mode, respectively. It has a USB 3.1 Type-C port that supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4 protocol.
There’s also the aforementioned Micro HDMI port for a wired connection that allows you to use the tablet as an external display. For wireless connectivity, the tablet has Wi-Fi 6 (2×2 MIMO) and Bluetooth 5.2.
The audio setup here consists of four JBL speakers with a 5cc cavity each. Together, they contribute to 9W of output (2x 2.5W + 2x 2W).
Lenovo Yoga Pad Pro has a ToF sensor on the 8MP front-facing camera for Face Unlock. This hardware implementation is much safer than the software-based Face Unlock that we find on most Android devices.
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (dual-band, 2×2 MIMO), Bluetooth 5.2, USB Type-C 3.1, Micro HDMI
Battery: 10,200mAh, Quick Charge 4
Lenovo Yoga Pad Pro 13 Price in Nepal
Lenovo Yoga Pad Pro 13 is now available for pre-order in China, where its price is 3,299 Yuan. It will go on sale starting May 31. We do not know if it will ever launch here. But if it does, we expect the price of Lenovo Yoga Pad Pro 13 in Nepal to be NPR 70,000.
Tablet
Price in China
Price in Nepal (Expected)
Lenovo Yoga Pad Pro 13
3,299 Yuan
NPR 70,000
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Lenovo Yoga 7i (2021).
Microsoft is integrating the AI-powered GPT-3 (Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3) language model with Power Fx – a low-code programming language to simplify PowerApps progress. The tech giant had acquired the sole license of OpenAI’s GPT-3—the underlying technology behind it. GPT-3 is now used in the Power Apps programs from Microsoft to convert natural language into ready-to-use code.
Microsoft Power Apps with AI-powered GPT-3
The new feature can only be used on the Power Fx. This is Microsoft’s open-source, low-code programming language which is based on Excel. The company announced this tech’s capabilities on the first day of the virtual “Build 2021” developer conference.
Almost no coding
I understand the agony of creating an application (web or mobile) and having it fail due to a minor error. For instance, if you skip only a “;”, a program might not run and might throw an error instead. And you may find yourself wandering through the code again and again.
However, using Microsoft Power Apps, one can achieve a rapid application development environment to create bespoke apps as needed. GPT-3 integration with Power Apps would also help you use plain language for a specific output.
For the time being, the focus is on Power Apps formulas. But despite the service’s low-code nature, you’ll need to eventually write a code sooner or later if you want to construct a complex app.
Charles Lamanna, Corporate VP for Microsoft’s low-code application platform says “Using an advanced AI model like this can help our low-code tools become even more widely available to an even bigger audience by truly becoming what we call no-code”.
Instead of mastering database queries, Power Fx’s natural-language integration will allow you to create code in natural language. GPT-3 AI algorithms transform natural language queries into usable code.
To search for a product, for example, programmers would need to write queries like “Filter(‘BC Orders’ Left(‘Product Name’,4)=”Kids”)”. But now, they can type “find products where the name starts with ‘kids’”. And GPT-3 will render the code for the same.
To note
While this does make coding easier and more convenient, programmers must still comprehend the logic of the application they are developing. Microsoft says “The features don’t replace the need for a person to understand the code they are implementing but are designed to assist people who are learning the Power Fx programming language”.
To some extent, it is similar to natural language query functions that are available in Excel, Power BI, or Google Sheets. GPT-3, on the other hand, can interpret more complicated queries.
Microsoft Power Apps with GPT-3 Availability
According to the company, these new features will be in public preview in the English language throughout North America by the end of June.
Meanwhile, check out our review of Razer Blade Stealth 13.
USB-C is a dominant standard for data and power transfer. It uses a small physical connector and supports various USB standards like USB 4 and USB Power Delivery. And to make it even better, the latest revision of the USB forum has upgraded the maximum power supply of USB-C up to 240W.
USB-C 240W power delivery
USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) has announced that it is doubling the amount of power that can be sent over a USB-C cable. The total power these new cables will be able to transfer is up to 240 watts, making it compatible to charge even high-end gaming laptops.
To compare, the previous iteration or the one currently in circulation allows for power transfer of up to 100 watts only, which isn’t sufficient for gaming laptops and other high-end devices like large monitors. But with the update, one can comfortably rely on a Type-C cable for their charging needs.
USB-IF has dubbed this latest 240W technology as “Extended Power Range (EPR)”. It will replace the previous top-tier “Standard Power Range”. To take advantage of the new features, you will also require a new range of USB-C chargers and cables.
To recognize the cables that support EPR, they should have a specific icon. The icon will help the user visually check and ensure that it supports up to 240W of power. To be compliant, a cable must support up to 5A current and 50V energy.
Final words
All of this is great news for those of us who have wished for the ability to charge multiple devices with a single charger. Step by step, we are progressing to adopt a unified module. Who knows, maybe by 2030, we’ll be able to use a USB-Type C cable to fuel an electric vehicle as well.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Mi 11X (Poco F3).
Mini LED is at the forefront of this year’s display technologies. And as Apple launched its latest iPad Pro with a Mini LED display, most people are still unaware of what it actually is. So, let us try to understand what exactly it is.
Mini-LED Overview:
Simply put, it’s a more efficient, and more effective way of backlighting an LCD screen. This means it relates more to backlighting technology rather than a display’s pixels. There are tens of thousands of miniature LED backlights behind the LCD panel to offer superior local dimming characteristics.
These small LED diodes are also responsible to make images look brighter and natural. Here, the diode which is no bigger than 0.2mm is considered a mini LED.
How mini-LED differs from LCD or OLED?
To clarify its difference, let’s first define LCDs and OLEDs:
LCD
LCD primarily uses a single backlight that throws the light on the screen. Furthermore, the panel uses a thin film called the LCD matrix to handle the contrast. The matrix selectively blocks certain parts of the backlight to produce contrast on the individual pixels.
Due to a single backlight, the pixels that require white color and the pixels that require black color end up getting the same amount of light which prevents dark pixel from showing the true pitch-black color. This is called backlight bleeding.
On the contrary, OLED displays have per-pixel lighting, which means each pixel has control of its lighting and regulates itself as required. This allows the screen to have granular control over which pixels get to be darker and which one gets to be lighter. For instance, for completely dark content, the parallel pixel stays completely turned off. This gives it that punchy black goodness.
So, how do they differ?
Now consider that the single backlight in the LCD panel is divided into different parts (or zones in technical terms). The technology where the backlight is divided into multiple zones is known as “local dimming” and is a common feature in premium LCD.
Furthermore, thanks to technological innovations, LED diodes used in the LCD backlight have shrunk in size. This mini size allows the backlight to be split into a higher proportion of local dimming zones.
While a standard LCD monitor with local dimming can have dozens or hundreds of backlight zones to increase contrast, a mini-LED display can have tens of thousands of them. This ensures that pictures are bolder in color, deeper in black levels, and brighter in terms of HDR content.
In other words, mini-LED displays mimic the emissive nature of OLED but are implemented in LCD panels. It’s a kind of mixed strategy. Note that, these miniature LED panels won’t be as good as OLED ones but are ultimately better than the regular LCD screens.
Conclusion
Overall, mini-LED aims to offer the best of both worlds as it tries to offer the contrast of OLED panels while being relatively cheaper. Add to that the ease of manufacturing mini-LED panels, they can be used to construct small displays including those used on notebooks, tablets, and smartphones.
Meanwhile, check out our review of Razer Blade Stealth 13.
A while back, NVIDIA introduced a cryptomining limiter to its RTX 3060 GPU to discourage miners from purchasing it. The company has now expanded the restriction across other GeForce cards. These GeForce graphics cards with cryptomining limiters will have “LHR” (Lite Hash Rate) branding to differentiate them from the releases before them. But have you wondered how these limiters work and if they can really solve the problem of GPU shortage?
GPU market of today
RTX 30-series graphics cards were initially launched in September of last year. However, these cards have not been readily available in the market. The problem is not limited to NVIDIA. AMD’s Radeon RX 600-series has suffered the same fate.
While the ongoing global chip shortage has limited the production of graphics cards, a sizeable portion of what has been produced has gone to the hands of crypto miners. This has deprived PC gamers, content creators, and other target customers from acquiring one easily. Very few graphics cards end up reaching the retail market and those that arrive are ludicrously priced—because of low supply.
Hashing and Mining
You may have heard that crypto miners are solving complex mathematical problems but it is not entirely true. What miners do is that they try to come with a hash by using random inputs on a crypto-currency block. The input, which is a random sequence of strings, is put into a special mathematical model called a hash function.
Think of it as a black box that takes these inputs and outputs numbers of fixed lengths. This is a one-way process and one cannot determine the input just by the output.
Miners must be the first to come with an “output”, only then are they eligible for crypto coins as a reward. As a result, most of the time, miners find themselves trying out hashing with inputs with a single-digit changed from the previous input.
Why GPU?
Unlike a CPU which must accomplish a wide variety of tasks, a GPU has a single job in a normal setup – graphics rendering. This is a repetitive task where a handful of instructions are carried out in a sequence.
Thus, GPUs are designed to carry out similar and repetitive tasks, which makes them fit for cryptocurrency mining. Also, modern GPUs are programmable and one can deploy them for several applications including mining.
Feasibility
Like all other things, mining is not free. Even after you have assembled a mining rig, it will be sucking power that will be reflected in your electricity bill. Also, the heat produced from mining can deteriorate the setup over time adding to the cost of maintenance. So, it is only logical to mine cryptos only when it is profitable. The latest-gen GPUs were launched at a time when cryptos like Ethereum were going high and we already know how that story ends (i.e. significant boom in their value—except for the recent dip).
The problem would not have blown up if it were only a few enthusiasts getting GPUs for mining out of curiosity. People who are into mining have “farms” of their own for which GPUs come directly from distributors, leaving gamers frustrated at retail shops.
Cryptomining limiters to the rescue?
Before we get into cryptomining limiters, we should be familiar with hashrate. It is the speed at which a GPU or a mining rig can mine. It is simply represented as the number of hash calculations that the setup can perform in one second.
This is one aspect of the GPU that NVIDIA wishes to affect with its cryptomining limiters. To be more specific, these are hashrate limiters that reduce the hashrate of a GPU. This does not make the graphics card useless for games but will just make it a less attractive of a choice for miners. NVIDIA wants miners to go for their Cryptocurrency Mining Processors (CMP) that do not come with such restrictions (more on that later).
First shot at hashrate limiters
The first GeForce card to get this treatment was RTX 3060. It came with a new driver update that halved its hashrate. However, NVIDIA itself released a driver later (470.05) that bypassed the limiter – showcasing the weakness of the software-based security mechanism.
Though NVIDIA did not address the issue publicly, it sent statements to few press members that said it was an internal development and that it was already removed. Also, the driver never made it to Linux, which is the preferred platform for experienced miners.
NVIDIA has sent the following statement about the driver that bypasses the mining limiter:
„A developer driver inadvertently included code used for internal development which removes the hash rate limiter on RTX 3060 in some configurations.
NVIDIA launched another driver update with an updated hashrate limiter. The company also set the minimum driver version to 466.27 to restrict users from using the compromised driver.
A few more details on NVIDIA’s Ethereum rate limiter, straight from NV PR: https://t.co/XGnXKCaIG6
And now, the limiters have made it to other RTX 30 series GPUs including RTX 3080, 3070, and 3060 Ti. These new cards will have an “LHR” (Lite Hash Rate) branding to separate them from the initial models.
Will it solve the problem?
The main problem today is the global chip shortage which NVIDIA has no control over. What the company is trying to do is improve the distribution of cards between gamers and miners.
As previously stated, the cryptomining limiters or the hashrate limiters will not make the GPUs useless for miners. They can still be used for mining since the hashrate has been nerfed by half—instead of absolutely nullifying it. The limiters have been sturdy till now but given the profits that mining can bring, they will try their best at a workaround.
Also, the non-LHR graphics cards that are still in use in mining farms will continue to work with older drivers.Here, the upcoming LHR-branded cards will be less attractive of a choice to the miners.
NVIDIA wants crypto miners to shift to their newly announced Cryptocurrency Mining Processor (CMP). It is a new product category from the company specifically for crypto miners. These cards cannot output graphics and have lower peak voltage and frequency for up to 50% better mining efficiency.
CMP debunked
NVIDIA wants gamers to believe that wafers being used here do not meet the standard of a traditional GeForce card and that it will not affect the availability of the latter. However, the statement has already been debunked by Linus in one of his Tech Tips videos.
First, the silicon that NVIDIA gets during this global shortage is limited. Up until now, the company would have used it for GeForce cards only. However, now it must be distributed among GeForce and CMP cards.
Linus also argues that silicons that “don’t meet GeForce’s standards” will eventually be replaced by higher quality silicon. Thus, CMP cards eventually will just contribute to e-waste when their life runs out.
These will also have a huge effect on the second-hand market. When the mining boom crashes, lots of GPUs from mining farms end up in the second-hand market for relatively low prices. This makes them a better value-for-money compared to new GPUs off a retailer’s shelf. The last time such a situation arose, NVIDIA failed to meet its quarterly targets. However, such will not be the case if miners move to CMPs that cannot be repurposed for gaming.
Cryptomining Limiters: Conclusion
To conclude, NVIDIA’s cryptomining limiters will not guarantee stocks of GPUs in the retail market since the production is limited. It is only to encourage miners for using new CMP cards instead of GeForce ones. Theoretically, CMP uses low-grade silicon and it should not affect the availability of GeForce cards.
But this theory is not flawless. So, the limiters are less likely to make any significant contribution to the stock shortage, especially in the long term. It can only ensure the success of the new CMP cards at the best.
Meanwhile, check out our review of the Razer Blade Stealth 13.
