NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 series will feature DisplayPort 2.1, using TSMC 3nm node

NVIDIA RTX 50 with DisplayPort 2.1 support

Kopite7kimi reveals more details about NVIDIA Blackwell for gamers.

The RTX 40 series is missing key features like DisplayPort 2.1 and PCI Express 5.0 compatibility at launch. Both standards are already available from competing brands, such as AMD, with their RX 7000 series with DP2.1 or the Moore Threads S80 GPU with PCIe Gen5 connectors. It’s time for NVIDIA to catch up.

According to popular NVIDIA leaker kopite7kimi, the upcoming series will feature support for DisplayPort 2.1. AMD has turned this feature on all RDNA3 desktop GPUs into a marketing win. The Gaming RX 7000 series features a DP 2.1 UHBR13.5 implementation with a maximum bandwidth of 54 Gbps. Meanwhile, W7000 workstation models feature a full implementation of UHBR20 with 80 Gbps bandwidth. It is unclear which version of the standard will be supported by the NVIDIA RTX 50 series.

The physical changes to the RTX 50 series could expand further, as it is expected that the series will also feature a PCIe Gen5 interface and an updated 16-pin connector known as 12V-2×6. It’s unclear whether the mid-range to entry-level models will continue to use the standard 8-pin connector, but the lack of a 6-pin connector on the RTX 40 series was likely the first step in getting rid of the old standard.

Kopite added that the upcoming Blackwell GB20x series is expected to use TSMC 3nm process technology. It is not stated if a custom 3N node should be expected, or if any of the available nodes that are shipping are about to ship in volume in the future (like N3E/N3P /N3X). Two months ago, rumors were already circulating about the use of a 3nm node for the Blackwell HPC series. If this claim turns out to be true, the same foundry will be used in the game series. It is worth noting that AMD, Intel, MediaTek and Qualcomm will also adopt their products for 3nm nodes from the same foundry.

As it stands, Blackwell Gaming doesn’t have a release date yet. However, NVIDIA is confident that it will begin shipping Blackwell HPC GPUs late next year, so the gaming series should follow shortly. A lot more leaks are to be expected as the upcoming GB20x gaming chips start to be filed and specifications are finalized, kopite7kimi should no doubt be among the first to report them.

Source: @kopite7kimi