The PC hardware market has once again opened itself to the capriciousness of unsuitable weather, and Nvidia is probably reaching back into its recent history to create a cushion for builders on a limited budget. Reports say the tech giant is looking into the strategic re-release of the GeForce RTX 3060, which is intended to offset the coming advance of a “RAM crisis” that threatens to push up the retail prices of current-generation components. By reintroducing this specific SKU, Nvidia would like to have a steady supply of affordable entry-level hardware once newer, more expensive modules proved to be too rare for manufacturers to source.
Rumored move comes hot on the heels of a series of supply chain snafus that have sent the prices of SSDs, system memory, and graphics cards on a steady increase. The RTX 3060 is the most popular GPU among Steam users for ages due to providing balanced performance with respect to price. For gamers shut out currently from high-end 40-series cards, the return of a good 30-series workhorse would give some needed respite. It shows that Nvidia has a view of the widening gap in the mid-range market, where value is almost impossible to find while consumers currently face rising inflation in the semiconductor industry.
Some purists may call the return of older architecture a step back, but reality often determines the cycles of hardware in the current economy. The RTX 3060 is quite excellent in gaming such as 1080p or 1040p, and its driver ecosystem has matured. Additionally, there is a broad secondary market support. Should Nvidia succeed to stabilize production of these cards with memory configurations available at present, they might avert this particular kind of inventory drought that determined the pandemic-era market.
The success of this relaunch would ultimately depend on where the final price point is drawn compared to the already aged stock of 40-series budget alternatives. Returning with a fan-remaintained favorite could very well lend some required stability to consumers attempting to surf the waves of the RAM shortage. Gaming enthusiasts should keenly monitor official inventory updates, as a re-release of such magnitude will definitely change the landscape of pre-built systems as well as DIY builds throughout the coming year.
