Upgrading VRAM: Professional Repair Technician Moddies EVGA GeForce RTX 3070
Professional repair technician, Paulo Gomes, and his team have successfully modded an EVGA GeForce RTX 3070, increasing its memory capacity from 8GB to a one-of-a-kind 12GB GDDR6 VRAM configuration. This feat showcases the skills and knowledge of skilled technicians who are able to breathe new life into GPUs through careful modifications.
The Challenge of Upgrading VRAM
While upgrading VRAM on GPUs may seem as simple as swapping out memory modules, the process requires significant work and expertise. Depending on the GPU, proper hardware and VBIOS modding are necessary, often involving a trial-and-error approach. Skilled technicians like Paulo Gomes possess the know-how and keen eye to identify the necessary changes and improvements to maximize a GPU’s performance.
Finding the Right Balance: Modding the GeForce RTX 3070
Initially, Paulo Gomes modded the RTX 3070 with a whopping 16GB of VRAM. However, many of his viewers disagreed, claiming that such a high amount would be underutilized. As a compromise, he decided to mod the GPU into an RTX 3070 12GB, a configuration that closely resembles the RTX 4070 with 12GB GDDR6X VRAM. This middle ground ensures optimal performance while still utilizing the limitations of the RTX 3070’s 192-bit memory bus.
Overcoming Defects: Modding the EVGA RTX 3070
In the case of EVGA’s RTX 3070, Paulo Gomes faced the challenge of a defective memory channel. To make the GPU work properly, he had to disable two VRAMs in the firmware, resulting in a 6GB GDDR6 card. The modding process involved desoldering all eight Samsung 1Gb VRAMs and replacing them with six Samsung 2GB modules from another GPU. Additionally, a couple of resistors on the PCB had to be repositioned. The result was a fully functional RTX 3070 with 12GB of memory.
Benchmarks Showcase Improved Performance
To demonstrate the performance improvements of the modded RTX 3070, Paulo Gomes and his team ran the Resident Evil 4 benchmark on high image quality settings. With the original 6GB GDDR6 VRAM configuration, the GPU yielded 40 to 50 FPS. However, after the modding process was completed, the GPU was able to provide 70 to 80 FPS, showcasing the significant improvement in performance.
The Paradox of Modded GPUs: Worth the Investment?
While the modded RTX 3070 achieved impressive performance gains, it is important to consider whether such upgrades are worth the investment. These modifications require extensive work, knowledge, tools, and sourcing of compatible VRAM, making it a complex and costly process. For the average enthusiast, the benefits of such upgrades may not justify the time and resources involved. However, in unique cases, like modified GPUs due to sanctions, these modifications become a necessity. As the saying goes, “necessity is the mother of invention.”
Analyst comment
Neutral news.
As an analyst, the market for modified GPUs is unlikely to be significantly affected by this news. While the modding process showcased impressive performance improvements, it is a complex and costly process that may not justify the investment for the average enthusiast. However, in unique cases, such as modified GPUs due to sanctions, these modifications could become a necessity.
