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- I really miss the affordability and pure rasterization performance focus of older GTX graphics cards.
- Sure, the appeal of ray-tracing is unmatched, but NVIDIA should cater to gamers who prioritize smooth frame rates over super visuals.
I have been building rigs and pushing the limits since the days when 3D accelerators were all the rage. Remember the legendary GTX 1080 Ti? Man, that card crushed the benchmarks. I have seen the evolution of gaming graphics, from crushing the most difficult demons in Quake 2 to exploring the pixelated worlds in Minecraft and getting tactical in CS-Go.
And let me tell you, while I dig the eye candy that ray-tracing brings, I think NVIDIA should bring back GTX cards alongside RTX. In my opinion, it is time NVIDIA gave us the old-school gamers some love and brought back the GTX line.
RTX Is Cool, But Do I Need It?
First, don’t get me wrong, ray-tracing is incredible. I mean, everyone loves realistic reflections, real-world shadows, and all those fancy lighting things, literally. However, the thing is, I care more about buttery smooth frame rates and rock-solid performance. Sure, RTX cards pack a punch, but they are always ready to break the bank. For me, the extra visual aesthetic is not always worth the performance hit and the dent in my wallet.
I miss the days when I could grab a GTX card and know I was getting top-tier rasterization performance. Rasterization is the classic way of rendering the graphics and is still the backbone of most games. I was hoping NVIDIA could give me a powerful GTX card that focuses on that core tech, and I am happy, lemon squeezy.
Gaming Benchmarks
Recently, I revisited Far Cry 6. Surprisingly, my trusty old GTX 1080 still managed a solid 63 average frame rate at 1080p with tweaked settings. Sure, it lacks the GeForce RTX, but the core gameplay experience and solid minimum frame rates were just as enjoyable.
Okay, NVIDIA, Talk About Money
Let me bring you to the world of imagination. A GTX 4090 is built on the same Ada Lovelace architecture as the RTX 40 series but with the RT core disabled. I see it hitting those sweet spot 4K frame rates at a much more affordable price point.
Now, I know some of you RTX fans are thinking, “Bro, ray-tracing is the future!” And yeah, no doubt, you are right. But do you ever feel there is still a huge market for gamers prioritizing smooth gameplay over cutting-edge visuals? They are the mates who happily crank down the graphic settings to squeeze out every last frame.
A dedicated GTX line would cater to that crowd, letting them rock the latest titles without feeling like they need to take out a second mortgage for a graphics card.
The Harsh Realities
Sadly, as much as I’d love to see those shiny and bulky new GTX cards appear, I know it will not happen. I have pretty solid reasons.
- Business is business: NVIDIA is a company, and like any other company, it is driven by profits. Reintroducing a budget-friendly GTX line would cannibalize their sales because pushing high-margin RTX cards is their bread and butter.
- Production: Manufacturing GPU is a complex and expensive process. Adding another line-up would increase production costs and likely muddle their supply chain.
- “The Future”: NVIDIA is betting big on ray tracing. They have invested a ton of resources into the tech, and they will not back down now. Making the gamers pay the “RTX tax!” is their way of driving adoption.
It’s Up To Us, The Gamers
So, while I do not think we will see those GTX badges anytime soon, that doesn’t mean we can’t make our voices heard. While NVIDIA’s RTX cards significantly dominate the Steam Hardware Survey 2024, AMD’s more budget-friendly RX 6000 series cards are still making a solid showing. That proves there is demand for performance-focused GPUs without the ray-tracing premium.
If enough of us gamers start prioritizing performance over ray-tracing and opting for competitors’ cards (yes, I am looking at you, AMD), maybe – just maybe – NVIDIA will get the message and start giving old-school gamers the options they deserve. Until then, I’ll scour the used market for those old, reliable GTX beasts. I’ll remind myself of when graphics ruled and wallets were not constantly under siege.
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[Hardware Reviewer]
Awais Khan is a Tech Geek, conscientious, reliable, and hardworking individual who pays attention to detail with excellent time management skills. Alongside that, he is an expert in PC Hardware; dealing with Benchmarks, Analysis, and testing before sharing information with readers. Whenever free, Awais occasionally shares Gaming Videos on his YouTube Channel.
Get In Touch: awais@tech4gamers.com
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