The much-anticipated release of the Asus Dual GeForce RTX 4060 Ti OC Edition 8GB with an integrated M.2 SSD slot has sent ripples of excitement through the European PC hardware market. This innovative graphics card, spotted by Twitter user momomo_us, boasts a unique feature – a PCIe M.2 SSD slot, setting it apart from its contemporaries.
RTX + SSD pic.twitter.com/8zP6zt5B5t
— 188号 (@momomo_us) October 27, 2023
Several retailers across Northern Europe have begun stocking this quirky graphics card, providing enthusiasts with a tantalizing option for high-performance computing. Alongside this variant, the stores also carry the Asus Dual GeForce RTX 4060 OC 8GB, lacking the SSD expansion slot. However, the introduction of onboard storage comes at a premium, with prices ranging from 7 to 19 percent higher than the non-SSD counterparts.
It’s important to note that while the prices in the European market may not directly translate to the US, there is potential for a similar trend. Consumers in the US, who expect to pay around $399 for the Asus Dual GeForce RTX 4060 Ti OC Edition 8GB at retailers like Newegg, might face some inflation if retailers choose to adopt the pricing strategy witnessed in Northern Europe.
This could mean a potential price increase, pushing the cost to $427 (a 7% hike) or even $475 (a 19% increase) from the initial $399. However, the extent to which this pricing strategy will be adopted in the US remains to be seen. Competition among US retailers could potentially act as a counterbalance to such mark-ups, providing consumers with more favorable pricing.
Retailers may find themselves paying a slightly higher price to Asus for these specialized M.2 SSD slot cards. This additional cost could be attributed to the unique feature set, which includes the integration of a snap-on cover for the M.2 drive, conveniently located on the backplate area. This design choice facilitates the seamless swapping of M.2 drives, particularly those sized up to 80mm. Additionally, Asus has implemented a Q-Latch, streamlining the installation and replacement process by eliminating the need for screws.
The genesis of the Asus Dual GeForce RTX 4060 Ti OC Edition 8GB with M.2 SSD can be traced back to July, when Asus unveiled a prototype at a Chinese tech event. The card’s inclusion of onboard storage addresses a common concern among users – the potential underutilization of bandwidth when inserting the graphics card into a PCIe 16x slot that only utilizes eight PCIe lanes. In the prototype, the presence of two M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots demonstrated the additional bandwidth that could be harnessed.
The release version, as indicated by product descriptions shared by momomo_us, features a singular M.2 slot capable of achieving PCIe 5.0 speeds. This improvement is poised to deliver enhanced performance for users seeking blistering data transfer rates from their storage solutions. The arrival of the Asus Dual GeForce RTX 4060 Ti OC Edition 8GB with an integrated M.2 SSD slot marks a significant milestone in the realm of PC hardware. The inclusion of onboard storage addresses a common bottleneck and provides users with a cutting-edge solution for their high-performance computing needs. While premium pricing may be a consideration, the potential benefits and added convenience of this innovative graphics card are likely to entice enthusiasts and professionals alike.
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