Custom versions of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, a new high-end GPU for gamers and creators based on the “Blackwell” architecture that advertises 10,752 CUDA Cores, 16 GB of GDDR7 memory, and support for DLSS 4 and its Multi Frame Generation technology, will be very difficult—or maybe even impossible—to find at the $999 MSRP that NVIDIA has set for the GPU and its Founders Edition (i.e., reference design) model, according to a tip out of the Chip Hell forums that suggests NVIDIA is happy to continue undercutting its major partners, which would include the likes of ASUS, GIGABYTE, and MSI.
“This time Huang’s crazy leeks have already hit the manufacturers,” reads a machine translation of the post from wjm47196, which is dated on January 24. “Just like the 30 series, the basic version is 100% out of stock. Last time it was mining, but the price of chips + video memory is actually normal.”
“This time Huang left the manufacturers with a very, very low gross profit,” it continues. “Making the basic version according to MSRP is equivalent to charity. It is consistent with what EVGA revealed when it withdrew. Huang: You just make a PCB and a heat sink. Why do you make so much money? Wait and buy it.”
EVGA, whose most recent product announcement appears to have been from February 2024, left NVIDIA and the graphics card market in September 2022 for what the company had described as “disrespectful treatment” from green team, alleging a series of problems that included undercutting and a lack of freedom in being able to set their own prices.
“EVGA is committed to our customers and will continue to offer sales and support on the current line-up,” the company said in a statement at the time. “EVGA would like to say thank you to our great community for the many years of support and enthusiasm for EVGA graphics cards.”
“The GeForce RTX 5080 is up to twice the speed of the GeForce RTX 4080 in games, thanks to the Blackwell architecture and DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation,” NVIDIA says of its new $999 GPU. “With new 5th gen Tensor Cores, 4th gen RT Cores, and 16GB of GDDR7 memory providing up to 960 GB/sec of total memory bandwidth (a 34% increase compared to the GeForce RTX 4080’s 717 GB/sec), the GeForce RTX 5080 delivers a massive leap in performance for gamers and creators.”
Discussion (8 replies)
Join Discussion →I call BS. They are forecasting that right now but I don't see that being the end result.
Video card manufacturers crying poverty isn't something I have any sympathy for when they've been ripping us off for years with AIB cards costing so much more than the Founder's Editions.
If any current rumors are to be believed, ASUS (initial) charging 1900 for an Astral 5080 is certainly a teeny, tiny, dare I say, miniscule bit of profit. These AIB live for the idea that a fool and his money should part.
And they will!
I blame nVidia moreso than I do the AIBs, and to be honest, I blame people willing to pay these markups as to why they exist, and why they will continue to get worse.
Not that I really have any sympathy for them either, but they have very limited opportunity to add much innovation over FE edition cards, and have a steep markup they have to pay to nVidia for the privilege. nVidia competing against them with the FE cards, while at the same time holding them to very high prices is a double whammy for the AIBs, and exactly why you saw EVGA get out of the market (at least officially, some will say it was their warranty policy, but actions like these make me wonder).
The AIBs have to make money too, and these markups are the only way they can do it.
The AIB's see how well the scalper market has done over the past few launches, so they want a piece of that pie and will charge scalper prices themselves.
Only 1 5000 series card available here, the gigabyte 5080 waterforce for a measily 1.899€
Yea I bet Microcenter sells out in moments.