[GamersNexus] GTX 1030 DDR4 "A Disgrace of a Graphics Card"

[Insert_Nickname]

Substantially cheaper cards than even this GT 1030 DDR4 will do, for other uses (like getting newer HDMI DRM support).

That doesn't matter. For some reason best know to only themselves, NV doesn't allow 4K Netflix streaming on either 1030. UHD bluray playback won't work either. So in effect the HDCP2.2 support is a mute feature.

The GTX 1030 GDDR5 is an OK low-end card, capable of acceptable 720P gaming, even if it does compete with the latest IGP.

Key word here is latest IGP. The 1030 is a good upgrade for older systems for the video acceleration features (particularly VP9) alone.

But the DDR4 version should definitely be called either 1010 or 1020.

 

[Cerb]

That doesn't matter. For some reason best know to only themselves, NV doesn't allow 4K Netflix streaming on either 1030. UHD bluray playback won't work either. So in effect the HDCP2.2 support is a mute feature.

I don't have any display that is 4K, yet, myself, but I was under the impression that they enabled it several months ago, so long as you used the Windows Store app, rather than the website. Looks like that is actually not the case (1050/3GB min? Seriously? 4K buffers for streaming video shouldn't be all that big). OTOH, I haven't read confirmation that the 2200G and 2400G are supported yet, but support was officially imminent back in March or May.

 

[VirtualLarry]

OTOH, I haven't read confirmation that the 2200G and 2400G are supported yet, but support was officially imminent back in March or May.

While I haven't tested it, AMD Adrenaline driver 18.5.1 supposedly enabled PlayReady 3.0 for Raven Ridge.

 

[PeterScott]

Netflix 4K was supposed to be in APU drivers as well in 18.5.1 drivers (may):
https://www.pcgamer.com/amds-radeon...port-for-ryzen-apus-and-4k-netflix-streaming/

Though I haven't seen anyone mention testing it. I suspect more people talk about it, than actually use it.

 

[Cerb]

Netflix 4K was supposed to be in APU drivers as well in 18.5.1 drivers (may):
https://www.pcgamer.com/amds-radeon...port-for-ryzen-apus-and-4k-netflix-streaming/

Though I haven't seen anyone mention testing it. I suspect more people talk about it, than actually use it.

I'm sure. I'd buy a Roku, myself, and leave it at that.

 

[Mr. President]

Not defending nVidia: they should make it clear that this is a capped version! But we have seen this before without this much of surprise.

Who remembers GeForce 4 MX440 using 64bit SDR memory (1/4 bandwidth compared to 128bit DDR). The various versions of GeForce 4 MX4000. FX5200, Radeon 9200/9550, etc

It has always been like this for end of life GPUs: they cut costs in every imaginable way without passing the savings to the end user. Usually increasing the Memory Size but reducing speed and bus width. Classical move! It's not new!

You don't have to go that far back. There were no less than 22 cards shipping with DDR3 between 2014 and 2016.

And that database isn't even complete. I don't remember a GPU generation which didn't have DDR variants.

Edit:

Note that these are all desktop GPUs. If you switch to 'mobile' then you'll find that another 77 GPUs released with DDR3 in this timeframe.

 

[mohit9206]

DDR4 versions are not even cheaper! They're the exact same price. What's even the point?
Biggest ripoff I've ever seen by a company where the performance difference is 100%.

 

[LTC8K6]

Are fake reviews showing up yet, giving the DDR4 cards glowing praise?

 

[frozentundra123456]

I agree it is a shady move. This is nothing new though. In addition to the noted examples, there were ddr3 and ddr5 versions of the HD7750. I also recall looking at some OEM computers that had the "same" gpu as the boxed version but were crippled by memory. I agree it is deceptive, but all the outrage is a bit overhyped, since the same type of nomenclature has been done for years. This case may be more egregious because of the large performance difference, but it certainly is nothing new.

 

[happy medium]

but all the outrage is a bit overhyped

Ya think???
Has been beaten to death like a dead horse.

 

[Charlie22911]

DDR4 versions are not even cheaper! They're the exact same price. What's even the point?
Biggest ripoff I've ever seen by a company where the performance difference is 100%.

The board partners should really be taken to task too. If I were an average consumer with little technical knowledge, and I was shown those 3 cards; I'd pick the "Phoenix OC Edition" every time over the other two puny looking ones. Unacceptable.

 

[NTMBK]

Ahaha, the 1030 DDR4 is slower than a Geforce 650 from 5 years ago. https://www.gamersnexus.net/hwreviews/3337-ebay-scam-gtx-1050-1gb-gpu-benchmarked (Some scammer sold it as a "1050 1GB", which obviously doesn't exist.)

 

[Mopetar]

That’s kind of funny, but also kind of sad.

I’m no longer sure why NVidia released this thing as they had to know they’d eat plenty of crow over it. However, some people will buy this and have terrible experiences with it and that’s far more damaging in the long run.

 

[jpiniero]

I’m no longer sure why NVidia released this thing as they had to know they’d eat plenty of crow over it. However, some people will buy this and have terrible experiences with it and that’s far more damaging in the long run.

OEMs love this sort of thing, but perhaps OEMs didn't buy enough of the DDR4 version or they bought the GDDR5 version instead because the memory price difference wasn't much. So nVidia forced it on the board makers to move the inventory.

 

[slashy16]

But how much did you really save in $$$, by purchasing the version of the card that is severely neutered in games?

I think I saved about $25? That's about 30% at the time. I really needed a budget card to run twin 32" 2K monitors and it fit the bill. I had previously been running two Quadro 600 cards and ran into all sorts of problems. I know in our office we have a lot of machines with a Quadro 600 LP/SFF cards and we have been replacing them with 1030 cards and we purchase whatever card happens to be cheaper with the best active cooling and if 1030 happens to have DDR4 it's not really a problem since nothing 3D will be run. If you need a card to drive twin 4K monitors and you are not gaming the 1030 is the best card around for the price.

 

[Red Hawk]

This isn't exactly anything new...plenty of cards from both AMD and Nvidia have done this sort of thing in the past few years. In my opinion, it was worse when AMD slapped DDR3 into the Radeon HD 7750, as that was actually a halfway decent gaming card at the time.

 

[mohit9206]

This isn't exactly anything new...plenty of cards from both AMD and Nvidia have done this sort of thing in the past few years. In my opinion, it was worse when AMD slapped DDR3 into the Radeon HD 7750, as that was actually a halfway decent gaming card at the time.

Both AMD and Nvidia are crappy anti consumer company. Its hard to be a fan of either. Just buy what suits you the best.

 

[NTMBK]

This isn't exactly anything new...plenty of cards from both AMD and Nvidia have done this sort of thing in the past few years. In my opinion, it was worse when AMD slapped DDR3 into the Radeon HD 7750, as that was actually a halfway decent gaming card at the time.

Yeah, that was a really nasty example. It went from solid recommendation to "okay, but avoid this version LIKE THE PLAGUE".