We could have seen an even more powerful flagship
Updated: Jan 14, 2025 9:45 am
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The RTX Titan Ada, Nvidia’s mystery GPU, may have been shelved. Still, details of a prototype have allegedly surfaced on Reddit, offering an interesting look at what could have been the best of the RTX 40-series lineup. Shared by Reddit user FluxRBLX, a GPU-Z screenshot and PCB image reveal the Titan Ada’s jaw-dropping specifications, including a fully unlocked AD102 GPU die and a staggering 48GB of VRAM.
If the leaked information via Tom’s Hardware is accurate, the RTX Titan Ada would have been the only RTX 40-series card to feature a fully enabled AD102 die, delivering 18,432 CUDA cores, 192 ROPs, and 576 TMUs. In terms of raw numbers, it far surpasses the RTX 4090, which uses 89% of the same die. The Titan Ada’s 48GB of VRAM, configured in a clamshell layout, doubles the memory capacity of the RTX 4090.
Prototype hardware and specifications
The GPU-Z screenshot indicates base and boost clock speeds of 735 MHz and 2,490 MHz, respectively. The low base clock, likely due to the early prototype nature of the hardware, contrasts with the more conventional boost clock. Interestingly, the card uses GDDR6 memory instead of GDDR6X, contributing to a memory bandwidth of 864 GB/s. This is slower than the RTX 4090’s GDDR6X memory, which offers superior bandwidth.
Cooling concerns might have affected Nvidia’s decision to stick with GDDR6. Similar to the RTX 3090 and RTX 6000 Ada, a clamshell memory configuration places memory modules on both sides of the PCB. While this layout allows for higher memory capacities, it has been known to cause heat dissipation challenges—something the RTX 3090 infamously struggled with.
Why didn’t the Titan Ada see the light of day?
Despite its monstrous specs, the RTX Titan Ada was never released, and Nvidia has remained silent. However, there are several plausible reasons for its cancellation.
Internal competition with Nvidia’s workstation-class GPUs, like the RTX 6000 Ada, may have made the Titan Ada a problematic addition to the product lineup. The RTX 6000 Ada retails for $6,800, serves a professional audience and offers similar hardware tailored for specific workloads. Introducing a Titan-class card with comparable capabilities might have cannibalized sales in the workstation segment.
AMD’s lack of a direct competitor to the RTX 4090 may have rendered the Titan Ada excessive for the gaming market. With no real pressure from AMD, Nvidia may have concluded that the RTX 4090 was sufficient to dominate the enthusiast GPU space.
A fascinating “What if”
The leaked PCB image, which closely resembles that of the RTX 4090, adds weight to the legitimacy of this prototype. While the Titan Ada will likely remain a tantalizing “what if,” the details unveiled through these leaks provide a glimpse into Nvidia’s ambitions. For now, it stands as a testament to the fine line manufacturers must walk between pushing the limits of technology and ensuring market practicality.
Would the RTX Titan Ada have been an overkill indulgence or a new benchmark for performance? We may never know, but its rumoured specs make for an interesting piece of GPU history.
