What Is an NVIDIA LHR GPU? Can You Still Use It for Gaming?
NVIDIA has recently announced their new line of GPUs that feature LHR or Low Hash Rate technology. The purpose of this is to combat the increasing demand for GPUs from cryptocurrency miners, causing a shortage of available graphics cards for gamers. The latest models of NVIDIA’s GPUs including the RTX 3080 Ti, RTX 3070 Ti, RTX 3080, RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 3060, and the GTX 1660 Super have been released with LHR technology.
But what exactly is an NVIDIA LHR GPU? Put simply, it is a graphics card that has a reduced hashrate when used for cryptocurrency mining. This means that while they still have the same amount of power and features as their non-LHR counterparts, their efficiency has been stripped down to discourage miners from buying up all the available stock. This practice is hoped to help alleviate the current shortage of GPUs for gamers who want to upgrade their systems.
However, some people might be concerned that these LHR GPUs might not perform as well as the non-LHR versions when it comes to gaming, but this simply isn’t true. These cards are still perfectly capable of running the latest games with high settings and framerates. The only difference is that the hashrate for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum will be lower, which will make it less profitable for miners to use them.
In fact, for gamers who want to use their GPUs exclusively for gaming purposes, the LHR models might be a better value proposition as they might sell at a lower price than their non-LHR counterparts due to their reduced demand. Additionally, the lower hash rate of the LHR GPUs means that they will consume less power during gameplay, making them more economical in the long run.
Finally, the LHR technology does not prevent cryptocurrency mining altogether. It simply reduces the efficiency of the GPU in that specific task. So, while the profitability might be lower for miners, it is still possible to use these LHR GPUs for mining. But for gamers who are eager to get their hands on any available GPUs, this news comes as a relief. Those who upgrade their PCs for gaming will have a better chance of finding a suitable GPU for their needs without breaking the bank.