Should You Buy nVidia RTX 4060 for Stable Diffusion? AI Gaming?

Ai Flux
4 Jul 202310:29

TLDRThe video discusses the new Nvidia RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti, questioning their suitability for AI applications like Stable Diffusion and gaming. It highlights Nvidia's strategic decisions to optimize GPUs for AI, potentially at the expense of gaming performance. The RTX 4060 offers improved specs but with reduced VRAM and bandwidth, making it less ideal for AI tasks. The video suggests considering the RTX 3060 with 12GB VRAM for better value and performance in generative AI and gaming.

Takeaways

  • 🚀 Nvidia has released information on the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti, aiming to cater to mid to entry-level gamers and AI applications.
  • 🤔 There are concerns about the suitability of these GPUs for gaming compared to the previous generation, specifically the RTX 3060 and 3060 Ti.
  • 🛠 Nvidia has made strategic decisions to optimize certain GPUs for specific uses, potentially limiting their versatility in other areas.
  • 🔒 Nvidia has implemented restrictions in the past to prevent GeForce cards from being used in compute-intensive tasks not intended by the company.
  • 💡 The RTX A5000, similar to the RTX 3080, allows for more extensive use cases in comparison to the GeForce series, hinting at a focus on AI optimization.
  • 🎮 Nvidia is focusing on AI gaming with features like DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), which uses AI to generate new frames and improve gaming performance.
  • 🆕 DLSS 3, available only on the 4000 series GPUs, claims to reconstruct and render a significant portion of frames, enhancing performance without traditional ray tracing workloads.
  • 📉 The RTX 4060 has a reduced memory bus width (128 bit vs. 256 bit) and less VRAM compared to the RTX 3060, which could impact AI performance and tasks like stable diffusion.
  • 📈 Despite having more L2 cache, the hardware changes in the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti might not offer a significant performance gain for AI tasks.
  • 💰 The RTX 3060 with 12GB of VRAM is considered a better value for money, offering a balance between gaming and AI capabilities.
  • 🛒 Current market prices suggest that used RTX 3060 12GB cards are a cost-effective option for those looking to delve into generative AI and gaming.

Q & A

  • What is the main topic of the video script discussing?

    -The main topic of the video script is whether the newly released Nvidia RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti GPUs are suitable for generative AI and gaming, and how they compare to the previous generation of GPUs.

  • What are the strategic decisions Nvidia has made regarding the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti GPUs?

    -Nvidia has made strategic decisions to optimize the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti GPUs for gaming and AI, specifically by increasing L2 cache and reducing VRAM, which may limit their performance in certain AI tasks but enhance gaming experience through features like DLSS.

  • What is DLSS and how does it relate to the new Nvidia GPUs?

    -DLSS, or Deep Learning Super Sampling, is a feature that uses AI to predictively generate new frames based on past frames, enhancing gaming performance by reducing the workload of traditional rendering techniques. It is a key feature being promoted for the 4000 series of Nvidia GPUs, including the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti.

  • How does the RTX 4060 compare to the RTX 3060 in terms of performance?

    -The RTX 4060 has slightly improved shader performance and almost double the tensor core performance compared to the RTX 3060. However, it has a reduced memory bus width and less VRAM, which could negatively impact performance in AI tasks and tasks requiring large amounts of VRAM.

  • What is the significance of the reduced VRAM and memory bus width in the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti GPUs?

    -The reduced VRAM and memory bus width in the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti GPUs could limit their performance in tasks that require large amounts of memory and fast data transfer between the GPU and VRAM, such as certain AI and generative tasks.

  • Why might the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti not be the best choice for AI tasks like running Stable Diffusion?

    -The RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti might not be the best choice for AI tasks because of their reduced VRAM and memory bus width, which are crucial for tasks that require quick data loading and high memory capacity.

  • What alternative GPUs does the script suggest for running Stable Diffusion locally?

    -The script suggests considering the RTX 3060 with 12GB of VRAM or the RTX 2060 as alternatives for running Stable Diffusion locally, as they offer sufficient performance for AI tasks at a potentially lower cost.

  • What is the current market price for the RTX 3060 GPUs as mentioned in the script?

    -According to the script, as of July 3rd, the RTX 3060 GPUs are being sold on eBay for prices ranging from the low 200s to around the mid-250 range.

  • What are the considerations mentioned in the script for buying used GPUs, such as those that may have been used for mining?

    -The script mentions that used GPUs, even those that may have been used for mining, can still be good for AI tasks, as long as they are from reliable brands like EVGA or Asus. It also advises caution with Gigabyte cards and emphasizes the importance of buyer protection when purchasing on platforms like eBay.

  • What is the script's final recommendation for an entry-level GPU suitable for generative AI and gaming?

    -The script recommends the Nvidia RTX 3060 with 12GB of VRAM as the best option for an entry-level GPU suitable for both generative AI tasks and gaming, given its current market price and performance capabilities.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Nvidia's New GPUs: RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti Overview

This paragraph introduces the topic of Nvidia's newly released RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti GPUs, questioning their suitability for large language models (LLMs) and generative AI compared to the previous 3060 and 3060 Ti models. It discusses Nvidia's strategic decisions over the past few years, focusing on optimizing their GPUs for AI and gaming, and their efforts to prevent the use of GeForce cards for compute tasks. The paragraph also hints at the upcoming video about the RTX 4090 Ti and the company's focus on AI, which is driving their profit and influencing their product design decisions.

05:00

🤖 Performance Trade-offs in Nvidia's RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti

This paragraph delves into the technical specifications and performance trade-offs of the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti. It compares these new GPUs with the RTX 3060 and 3060 Ti, noting the increase in L2 cache and the reduction in VRAM and memory bus width. The summary explains how these changes affect the GPUs' suitability for AI tasks and gaming, with a focus on the new DLSS 3 technology that uses AI to generate frames and potentially enhance gaming performance. The paragraph also raises concerns about the reduced number of CUDA cores in the new models and their implications for AI capabilities.

10:02

💰 Market Analysis and GPU Recommendations for AI and Gaming

The final paragraph provides a market analysis of the current GPU prices, specifically looking at eBay's sold listings for the RTX 3060 and 3060 Ti models. It offers recommendations on which GPUs to consider for AI tasks like running stable diffusion locally, suggesting that the RTX 3060 with 12 GB of VRAM might be the best value for money. The summary also touches on the performance capabilities of the RTX 2060 and the importance of VRAM for AI tasks. It concludes with the presenter's personal opinion on the suitability of the RTX 3060 for both AI and gaming, and invites viewers to share their thoughts on Nvidia's strategy and the new RTX 4060 series.

Mindmap

Keywords

nVidia RTX 4060

The nVidia RTX 4060 is a graphics processing unit (GPU) from Nvidia, a leading company in the field of computer graphics technology. It is part of the 40 series and is positioned as a mid-range to entry-level GPU. In the video, the RTX 4060 is evaluated for its suitability for generative AI and gaming, compared with its predecessors like the RTX 3060 and 3060 Ti.

Stable Diffusion

Stable Diffusion is a term used in the context of AI, referring to a type of generative AI model capable of creating images from textual descriptions. The video discusses whether the RTX 4060 is a good choice for running such AI models, considering its hardware specifications and performance.

AI Gaming

AI Gaming is a concept that integrates artificial intelligence into video games to enhance gameplay, often through features like AI-driven characters or predictive frame generation. The script mentions 'AI Gaming' in the context of Nvidia's DLSS technology, which uses AI to improve gaming performance.

DLSS

DLSS stands for Deep Learning Super Sampling, a technology developed by Nvidia that uses AI to generate additional frames, effectively increasing the frame rate in games. The video discusses the latest version, DLSS 3, which is exclusive to the 4000 series GPUs and claims to reconstruct and render a significant portion of the frames seen on the screen.

L2 Cache

L2 Cache is a type of CPU cache that is faster than main memory but slower than the primary cache (L1). In the context of the video, Nvidia has increased the L2 cache on the RTX 4060 GPUs, which can potentially improve gaming performance by storing more information for faster access.

VRAM

VRAM stands for Video Random Access Memory, a type of memory used by GPUs to store image data. The video script notes that the RTX 4060 has reduced VRAM and a slower memory bus compared to the RTX 3060, which could impact performance in AI tasks that require large amounts of image data.

Cuda Cores

Cuda Cores are the processing units within an Nvidia GPU that perform the bulk of the computation for graphics and parallel computing tasks. The script points out that the RTX 4060 has fewer Cuda cores than the RTX 3060, which might affect its performance in certain applications.

RTX 3060

The RTX 3060 is a previous generation Nvidia GPU that is compared against the RTX 4060 in the video. It is noted for having more VRAM and a wider memory bus, making it potentially more suitable for AI tasks like running Stable Diffusion.

eBay

eBay is an online marketplace mentioned in the video where viewers can purchase GPUs, including the RTX 3060. The script suggests that buying a used RTX 3060 from eBay could be a cost-effective option for those looking to get into generative AI.

Upscaling

Upscaling refers to the process of increasing the resolution of an image or video. The video mentions using AI tools like ESRGAN to upscale images generated by the RTX 2060 or 3060, which have lower VRAM and might produce images at a lower resolution initially.

Highlights

Nvidia has released information on the RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti, raising questions about their suitability for generative AI and gaming compared to previous generations.

Nvidia's new mid-range GPUs are built on the 4-nanometer process, which has been a focus for high-end cards like the 4070, 4080, and possibly 4090 Ti.

Nvidia has made strategic decisions to optimize GPUs for specific uses, potentially limiting their versatility in other areas such as AI and gaming.

The RTX 4060 and 4060 Ti have more L2 cache but reduced VRAM and slower memory bus compared to the RTX 3060 and 3060 Ti, impacting AI performance.

Nvidia is focusing on optimizing for AI, which is a significant source of profit, possibly at the expense of gaming performance.

DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is a feature that uses AI to generate new frames, potentially increasing system performance in gaming.

DLSS 3, the latest version, is exclusive to the 4000 series GPUs and claims to render up to 7-8 frames using AI, reducing the workload of traditional rendering techniques.

The RTX 4060 has a 128-bit memory bus compared to the 3060's 256-bit, which could limit its performance in AI tasks that require fast data transfer to VRAM.

Despite having more tensor cores, the reduced VRAM and memory bus width of the 4060 and 4060 Ti might not make them better for AI compared to the 3060 and 3060 Ti.

The 4060 and 4060 Ti have fewer CUDA cores than their predecessors, which could affect their performance in certain applications.

For those looking to run Stable Diffusion locally, the 12GB RTX 3060 is recommended as a cost-effective option for generative AI.

The RTX 2060, although a generation older, could also be a viable option for AI tasks at a lower cost.

The market price for used RTX 3060 12GB cards on eBay suggests they are a good investment for those wanting to enter generative AI.

EVGA and Asus cards are recommended for purchase on eBay, with buyer protection offered by the platform.

The RTX 3060 offers a balance between cost and performance for both gaming and generative AI tasks.

For those interested in text-to-video AI, the new 4060 series might struggle due to their limitations in AI performance.

The video concludes by questioning Nvidia's strategy with the 4060 series, suggesting they may be optimized for gaming at the expense of AI capabilities.