Founders edition cards and how to get them

[SpyderTracks]

I think the ideal system would be to take the mid ground with a 12600KF and 3070 GPU. The problem is both are out of stock. I'm sure the 12600KF will come back into stock very soon but the 3070 has been less easy to get hold of recently (partially because it's a great 1440p card).

And because they stopped manufacturing the standard cards last November. It's only the TIs being produced now according to leaks

Latest GPU Market Sales Indicate that NVIDIA Indeed Halted RTX 30 Series Production | Hardware Times

Earlier this month, it was reported that NVIDIA would be halting (or reducing) the production of its Ampere graphics cards to prevent a sudden price recession in the market. Well, fifteen days have passed since that post was published and it looks like MLID’s sources were on point. NVIDIA’s RTX...

www.hardwaretimes.com

NVIDIA rumored to have cancelled the production of the RTX 3080 20GB & RTX 3070 16GB Ampere-based SKUs

It appears that Nvidia has apparently cancelled the following Ampere SKUs, the GeForce RTX 3080 20GB and RTX 3070 16GB, respectively.

www.dsogaming.com

They did the same with the 2000 series but they were called supers

 

[DarTon]

@SpyderTracks. I did expect both the 3070 and 3080 to be killed off by Nvidia, essentially to allow them to rebase prices higher. Yet, Nvidia did another drop of 3080 10GB FE as late as the 10th Feb so they clearly still have some. There hasn't been an equivalent drop of 3070s since before Xmas.

Nonetheless, some other systems builders do have the 3070s available to buy so there must still be some supply coming from AIBs.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Nonetheless, some other systems builders do have the 3070s available to buy so there must still be some supply coming from AIBs.

I think it's more likely they've just still got some stocks left over. I haven't seen any store get stocks since before Christmas.

Where did you see Nvidia released more 3080's? I missed that entirely.

 

[DarTon]

There was another drop by Nvidia of 3080 FE cards via Scan on 10th Feb. They also dropped 3060 Ti and 3070 Ti.

I was wrong about the 3070s though. I thought that last drop was pre Xmas but Nvidia dropped both the 3070 FE and 3090 FE on 8th Feb and had dropped 3070 FE and 3080 FE also on 6th Jan. Of course the size of these drops is unknown and is never huge. See the updated spreadsheet used on PartAlert below:

Founders Drops Europe - In Depth and Updated

Europe Drops No longer updated - GPUs are way easier to buy now <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDU_Txk06tM">Infinite Computing IS GONE!!</a> UK IE - Scan - Currently not shipping to IE,Days between drops (exc. new card drops) Date,Day,Local Time,Models Available,90,80 Ti,80,70 Ti,...

docs.google.com

 

[SpyderTracks]

There was another drop by Nvidia of 3080 FE cards via Scan on 10th Feb. They also dropped 3060 Ti and 3070 Ti.

I was wrong about the 3070s though. I thought that last drop was pre Xmas but Nvidia dropped both the 3070 FE and 3090 FE on 8th Feb and had dropped 3070 FE and 3080 FE also on 6th Jan. Of course the size of these drops is unknown and is never huge. See the updated spreadsheet used on PartAlert below:

Founders Drops Europe - In Depth and Updated

Europe Drops No longer updated - GPUs are way easier to buy now <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDU_Txk06tM">Infinite Computing IS GONE!!</a> UK IE - Scan - Currently not shipping to IE,Days between drops (exc. new card drops) Date,Day,Local Time,Models Available,90,80 Ti,80,70 Ti,...

docs.google.com

I don't think that report is accurate or at least, it's not relating to FE models. Scan sold out of all FE cards for the 3080, 3090 and 3070 a while ago, NVidia only produce them for a short time and stated they'd stop production once the LHR cards were being produced.

Scan haven't had a listing for an FE card for a while and certainly don't at the moment unless it's my devices have been blocked specifically for some reason:

GeForce RTX 3080 Graphics Cards - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ray Tracing VR Ready Ampere 10GB GDDR6X Graphics Cards GPU Gaming | SCAN UK

Welcome to our GeForce RTX 3080 Graphics Cards - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ray Tracing VR Ready Ampere 10GB GDDR6X Graphics Cards GPU Gaming page. Here you will find leading brands such as EVGA, MSI, Zotac.

www.scan.co.uk

When I go to the old 3080 FE page I get an access denied error 1020 on 3 separate public IP addresses (none of them using a VPN).

Can you just try this page and see if you get entry? https://www.scan.co.uk/shops/nvidia/3080-founders-edition

I can access the NVidia storefront on Scan, but it doesn't give any link to buying any FE items: www.scan.co.uk/shob-by-brand/nvidia

 

[DarTon]

@SpyderTracks. The sheet is completely accurate. Nvidia are still dropping FE cards at regular intervals via Scan, NBB in Germany etc. This is a snap from PartAlert on Thursday. I bought my 3080Ti this way in Sep and dithered in Jan about buying a 3090 just to sell on (the 3080Ti and 3090s are often available for hours, but the lower cards go within minutes).

They regularly change the links now to stop bots taking the cards.

 

[SpyderTracks]

@SpyderTracks. Nvidia are still dropping FE cards at regular intervals. This is a snap from PartAlert on Thursday.

They regularly change the links now to stop bots taking the cards.

View attachment 32347

I'm not saying that partalert is not saying they're dropping, what I'm saying is this isn't being shown on Scan to the best of my knowledge since they removed listings in summer last year for FE models, and all the public reports were that FE's had stopped production when the LHR cards were released (for the 3080, 3090 and 3070).

Are you able to reach those links for the 3080? And do you see any FE cards listed? If they were receiving regular drops they would have a listing on scan weather it was in stock or not.

What I'm saying is all the references I have to the Scan FE listings are not accessible. And from all reports, no FE cards have been sold worldwide since last summer (for the 3080, 3090 and 3070), not talking about the new Ti models.

I wonder if that's a mistype on the page and is meant to be the 3080ti

FE models are usually only produced for a few months on release of a new model, that's always been the way it's been done. They're very low production volumes and usually are only available for a few months.

Could you try those links above and see if you can get access?

 

[JUNI0R]

@SpyderTracks. The sheet is completely accurate. Nvidia are still dropping FE cards at regular intervals via Scan, NBB in Germany etc. This is a snap from PartAlert on Thursday. I bought my 3080Ti this way in Sep and dithered in Jan about buying a 3090 just to sell on (the 3080Ti and 3090s are often available for hours, but the lower cards go within minutes).

They regularly change the links now to stop bots taking the cards.

View attachment 32347

Was just about to post this 😂 I click on the links for these drops when I get the notification every now and then and they all still work- seems they're still getting these cards out. As you say, I think they just change links to stop bots

 

[SpyderTracks]

Was just about to post this 😂 I click on the links for these drops when I get the notification every now and then and they all still work- seems they're still getting these cards out. As you say, I think they just change links to stop bots

So it is just me that's blocked then.

How quickly do they change the link address? And how do you hear about the link address? Is it only through bots? Or is there an official page on nvidia or scan where they update you?

 

[DarTon]

Sorry but I think you are misinformed. Nvidia has been dropping FE cards all of last year in small batches every couple of weeks. A new link is created each time Scan offers some out. Scan then delete those links after use so they won't work now and Scan now don't put the generic FE links up anymore.

I've bought a 3080 Ti for myself in 3rd Sep drop and a 3080 10GB for my child's PC on the 23 Nov drop (via my wife's name since Scan only let you now buy 1 GPU per person). I know plenty of others who are buying these cards to sell on via Ebay. The 3080 and 3090 are FHR so go for a very good premium.

You need to be on something like PartAlert, StockInformer UK to get an instant alert and act. I've got this stuff on Discord, Telegram so I get all the alerts for drops by Nvidia plus other alerts for AIB drops.

 

[JUNI0R]

So it is just me that's blocked then.

How quickly do they change the link address? And how do you hear about the link address? Is it only through bots? Or is there an official page on nvidia or scan where they update you?

You're not the only one. I'm in the same Discord as @DarTon and I get Error 1020 when I try and click the link for the drops from a few days ago.

Not sure how often they change it and how they know it's changed but as said, I'm in a Discord that uses a bot to notify people when new cards drop (it's how I got my 3060TI FE a little bit ago at the first time of trying). How that bot works would be gobledy goop to me, I just know it works 😂

Based on their "Successful Order" channel, these cards are very much still being shipped out

 

[SpyderTracks]

Sorry but I think you are misinformed. Nvidia has been dropping FE cards all of last year in small batches every couple of weeks. A new link is created each time Scan offers some out. Scan then delete those links after use so they won't work now and Scan now don't put the generic FE links up anymore.

I've bought a 3080 Ti for myself in 3rd Sep drop and a 3080 10GB for my child's PC on the 23 Nov drop (via my wife's name since Scan only let you now buy 1 GPU per person). I know plenty of others who are buying these cards to sell on via Ebay. The 3080 and 3090 are FHR so go for a very good premium.

You need to be on something like PartAlert, StockInformer UK to get an instant alert and act. I've got this stuff on Discord, Telegram so I get all the alerts for drops by Nvidia plus other alerts for AIB drops.

You're not the only one. I'm in the same Discord as @DarTon and I get Error 1020 when I try and click the link for the drops from a few days ago.

Not sure how often they change it and how they know it's changed but as said, I'm in a Discord that uses a bot to notify people when new cards drop (it's how I got my 3060TI FE a little bit ago at the first time of trying). How that bot works would be gobledy goop to me, I just know it works 😂

Based on their "Successful Order" channel, these cards are very much still being shipped out

View attachment 32352

I had no idea about any of this, I was going by the reports last summer

Nvidia Founders Edition cards won't be getting the LHR treatment

LHR series reserved for Nvidia AIC partners Nvidia has confirmed that it won't be making LHR versions of its RTX 30 series Founders Edition as these are reserved for its AIC (add-in-card) partners. As detailed earlier, Nvidia has officially announced new versions of its RTX 3080, RTX 3070, and R...

www.fudzilla.com

Hardware & Tech News - OC3D.net

OC3D is where you can find the latest PC Hardware and Gaming News & Reviews. Get updates on GPUs, Motherboards, CPUs, and more.

overclock3d.net

Maybe they finished producing them then, but have been releasing them very slowly to prevent massive bot buys.

Thank you both, massive learning curve for me, genuinely had no idea about this at all.

 

[DarTon]

I did alude to this is prior posts and nobody said anything, so I just assumed everybody knew about this route to get hold of FE cards.

I would say it's hard to get a 3060 Ti, 3070 and 3080 via this route since they go awfully quickly. You need to be in front of the PC when the alert happens and act very quickly. I don't think the quantities are at all large. The 3080 Ti and 3090 can last for a few hours. I was off the desk for the 8th Feb drop and when I got back an hour after the alert the 3090s were still available.

It's not exactly a guaranteed way to get a sensibly priced GPU but if you spend all day in the front of the PC anyway you might get lucky.

 

[SpyderTracks]

I did alude to this is prior posts and nobody said anything, so I just assumed everybody knew about this route to get hold of FE cards.

I would say it's hard to get a 3060 Ti, 3070 and 3080 via this route since they go awfully quickly. You need to be in front of the PC when the alert happens and act very quickly. I don't think the quantities are at all large. The 3080 Ti and 3090 can last for a few hours. I was off the desk for the 8th Feb drop and when I got back an hour after the alert the 3090s were still available.

It's not exactly a guaranteed way to get a sensibly priced GPU but if you spend all day in the front of the PC anyway you might get lucky.

I do remember the Discord bots being mentioned a while ago, didn't appreciate that was the only way to source them now and that Scan were doing temp links.

It's a good idea, and I guess if they publicised it it would kind of defeat the object.

Does feel a bit like Black Market trading in Marrakech

Thanks enormously because like you say, if you're like me and in front of the pc from morning til night it does become a possibility at least of getting a sensibly priced card.

For me personally, I tend to buy the FE cards and then mod them with an aftermarket hybrid cooler. Obviously raises the cost substantially but still ends up a hell of a lot cheaper than the AIB Hybrid cards which this time around seem to be up at the 2k mark which is just insane

But I love the cooling on the 3000 series FEs so much that I probably wouldnt bother modding it anyway.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Discord and Twitter all setup

 

[DarTon]

Discord and Twitter all setup

Keep yourself logged into Scan with a credit card all setup to go. Fasting finger first and all that. Good luck.

N.B Isn't this an indication of how silly the GPU situation has got. We used to buy GPUs to play arcade games. Now getting the GPU is a reflex based arcade game!

 

[TonyCarter]

This is exactly how I got my 3080Ti FE

Thought I'd miss out, as I didn't notice the update until an hour later, but there were still 2 left, so I grabbed one.

 

[SpyderTracks]

Keep yourself logged into Scan with a credit card all setup to go. Fasting finger first and all that. Good luck.

N.B Isn't this an indication of how silly the GPU situation has got. We used to buy GPUs to play arcade games. Now getting the GPU is a reflex based arcade game!

Exactly my thoughts. It's literally like some underground dodgy salesman, just web based!

 

[DarTon]

If anyone wants a 3090 FE for £1,399 they are still available via this link https://www.scan.co.uk/nvidia/products/3090/pikv74w8mk0tbh
The 3060Ti and 3070 were out of stock within a few mins.