NVIDIA stops bundling VRAM chips with GPU dies: tells AIBs to source their own GDDR chips

NVIDIA is reportedly telling its AIBs to get their own GDDR memory chips, as the company will only be supplying its GPU die without VRAM chips moving forward, and this has some dire consequences moving forward.

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NVIDIA sources its VRAM memory modules from SK hynix, Samsung, and Micron, but those DRAM manufacturers have apparently had to also fulfill the memory demand from the unstoppable AI boom. The issue has caused skyrocketing RAM prices, but has spiraled into the point where NVIDIA can't get enough GDDR (GDDR7 on the RTX 50 series) memory chips for itself -- in order to bundle with its GPU dies -- that it's forcing its AIB partners to get the GDDR memory chips themselves.

In a new post from leaker "Golden Pig Upgrade" who has reported that NVIDIA has stopped bundling GDDR memory chips with GPU dies, he said: "The main previous AICs core memory was the old yellow bag circle. Now it is said on the internet that it is only for the core, and the memory is self-collected by AIC. For the small AIC, there was no connection before, and now people who talk about video memory don't give a shit about you at all, which is tantamount to not having to do video card business".

Golden Pig Upgrade added: "previously, NVIDIA monopolized both the GPU cores and memory for its AICs (Add-in-Card) partners. Now, it's rumored online that NVIDIA only supplies cores, while AICs must source their own memory. For smaller AICs who don't have prior connections, trying to negotiate memory business is now completely ignored; it's essentially like they're no longer needed in the graphics card business".

Another poster on the Chinese forum said: "I received news today that graphics card prices may also go up because video memory prices have increased. It seems the longer you wait, the more expensive it gets".

I still remember sitting with YouTuber "JayzTwoCents" at NVIDIA's Editor's Day in 2014 when the company unveiled its very first "Founders Edition" GPU with the launch of the GeForce GTX 1080. When NVIDIA unveiled the Founders Edition cards, we turned to each other and said that this was "the end" for AIB partners.

It took a while, but it looks like we're steadily heading towards that path where smaller AIBs -- not ASUS, MSI, GIGABYTE -- but smaller AIB partners that are lower on the graphics card making food chain that will lose out. They can't secure (or afford) to get their own GDDR memory chips like the big AIBs can, which is going to have a negative effect on the AIB market.

NVIDIA won't miss out of buying GDDR memory chips as they have immense buying power, so we'll continue to *always* see Founders Edition cards no matter what shortage is happening at the time.