Nvidia has asserted that the cryptocurrency hash rate limiter on its inbound GeForce RTX 3060 12GB graphics card cannot be compromised due to a "secure handshake" between the driver and certain hardware components.
The company announced a release date for the highly-anticipated GPU earlier this week, with February 25 the day set to see to the launch. The card is supposed to retail for a very reasonable $329 but a number of stores have reportedly advertised for significantly higher prices, going as high as $840.
Meanwhile, Nvidia is reported as having told PC Gamer that the limiter, which has to do with software and not hardware, can't be hacked. Following claims that "the software cannot be hacked to remove the limiter," the manufacturers have added further clarity on the back of speculation pertaining to miners possibly finding ways to get around the limiter as they typically prefer that their cards operate without restraint.
"End users cannot remove the hash limiter from the driver," Nvidia told PC Gamer in a statement. "There is a secure handshake between the driver, the RTX 3060 silicon, and the BIOS (firmware) that prevents removal of the hash rate limiter."
This has been put in place so miners don't chip away at cryptocurrency with impunity - the hope is that they will stay away from the card altogether. With Ethereum the most sought-after cryptocurrency where GPU miners are concerned, Nvidia is keen on preventing such. This limiter will cut the hash rate of the RTX 3060 in half when it detects specific parts of the Ethereum mining algorithm.
Nvidia has gone that route in hopes gamers, who have no mining intentions, will be able to get their hands on the upcoming GPU while miners turn to mining-specific Cryptocurrency Mining Processors or high-end RTX-series cards that have no block.
The RTX 3060 will be the only card being retailed with a limiter. Nvidia says it isn't placing any limits on GPUs which have already been sold.
Source: PC Gamer