The spring, and summer, of 2020 can definitely be considered a flooded time of rumors for NVIDIA’s upcoming GeForce RTX lineup. Barely a day goes by without a leaked image, rumored spec, or possible new naming convention for these mythical cards. The latest image comes via Videocardz and could potentially be the first AIB design to be seen.
If true, this could actually make a lot of sense on a number of levels. Originally, NVIDIA did release the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 2080 ahead of the RTX 2070 and RTX 2060 GPUs, so it is possible it may stick to a similar schedule, since the first leaked images may have been the GeForce RTX 3080. It could also help clarify recent confusion as to whether or not the X80 Ti line of GPUs would be omitted this time around. Recent rumors had suggested a possibility they would be renamed the GeForce RTX 3090, even though past X90 offerings were actually dual GPUs. This potentially leaked image may have come from an ASUS meeting exploring possible designs. It does, however, have some similarities to the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 2080 Ti.
Note how the rumored ASUS ROG Strix 3080 Ti has the diagonal, metal-themed strips spanning across the card. This would seem to align with the earlier leaked images of the RTX 3080’s new board and cooler design. However, ASUS is also known for designing its own custom PCBs. Those custom designs often allow a high overclock and improved cooling. The triple-fan design also seems to have been enlarged. It, too, is consistent with the minimalist RGB that ASUS has used on some cards and seems to only have a thin strip running along the top of the card. As always, take this all with a grain of salt. These are, after all, presently, simply rumors.