Speculation regarding Nvidia’s crypto-mining restricted RTX 3060 is running rampant. A series of carefully cropped images led crypto miners and news outlets to believe the RTX 3060’s hash rate restrictor had already been cracked, allowing miners to use the cards as they want.
However, a later post revealed that the original image had been cropped and covered up as to give the appearance that the new GPUs were mining Ethereum at full capacity.
Have Hackers Unlocked the RTX 3060 Already?
In short, no, hackers have not yet unlocked the crypto-mining restricted Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU.
The confusion stems from a tweet from serial leaker @I_Leak-VN, who posted what appeared to be a computer running several RTX 3060s. A second window on the computer showed a cryptocurrency mining tool up and running, displaying the hash rate of a single RTX 3060 at a steady 45MH/s—a decent rate.
Dammit Chinese mod 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/dBNjpJQLMl
— I_Leak_VN (@I_Leak_VN) March 10, 2021
However, as you can see from the image in the above tweet, it is hardly clear. A grainy picture displaying the two windows, with the crypto mining hardware partially obscured.
Just as soon as the tweet went live, responders questioned if the content was accurate or not. Because if it was, it was seriously bad news for Nvidia.
A few short hours later, the original posted returned with another tweet containing more analysis on the situation.
After collating performance information and consulting with everyone, I confirm this’s an Octopus amateur mining. So the image is absolutely correct, but I misinterpreted the meaning of the image because it was cropped too much. Anyway, do not expect many RTX 30 series for gamers https://t.co/zRetqwRYGL
— I_Leak_VN (@I_Leak_VN) March 10, 2021
The cryptocurrency mining algorithm on display isn’t for Ethereum, which is why the miner was able to run the RTX 3060 GPU at full capacity. Rather, the image shows someone mining the altcoin Conflux, which uses an algorithm known as Octopus.
Nvidia Hopes That the RTX 3060 Hash Rate Restrictor Is Unhackable
Nvidia announced its highly anticipated RTX 3060 GPU at CES 2021 to near-universal positive feedback. Then, just before the new GPU’s official launch, Nvidia made a second announcement regarding cryptocurrency mining and its core demographic, gamers.
It hasn’t been easy for gamers to get their hands on any of Nvidia’s new RTX 30-series GPUs. Any stock for the RTX 3070, RTX 3080, and RTX 3090 is snapped up immediately by scalpers, but surging cryptocurrency prices are playing a part, too.
Nvidia announced that the RTX 3060 would restrict cryptocurrency mining speeds on the RTX 3060, hoping that making the new GPU unusable for crypto miners would give gamers a slightly better chance of grabbing a new video card.
Alongside that announcement, Nvidia also confirmed that it would launch a series of cryptocurrency mining-equipped GPUs that are much better suited to delivering consistently high hash rates.
As yet, it hasn’t helped. The Nvidia RTX 3060 is just as difficult to pick up as the previously released GPUs, an issue exacerbated by manufacturing issues at several memory foundries which directly impact production.