NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5080 24GB Launch Rumor Hits A Major Roadblock
Well, that didn't take long. Just a few days after rumors suggested NVIDIA was preparing to launch a GeForce RTX 5080 graphics card with 24GB of GDDR7 memory by January 2027, a new report is throwing cold water on that timeline. The problem? NVIDIA reportedly hasn't provided its add-in board (AIB) partners with the design materials they need to develop custom models, making a January launch feel more like a long shot.
As such, consumers and enthusiasts find themselves in somewhat familiar territory. As the next CES exhibition comes into view, we are collectively once again wondering whether NVIDIA will refresh its GeForce RTX 50 series with more VRAM for an announcement at or around the annual tech show.
If you are looking for positive signs, one can be found in the fact that rumors of a refresh refuse to die. For example, just a few months ago, Seasonic quietly added Super variants of the GeForce RTX 5080, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, and GeForce RTX 5070 to its online power supply calculator tool.
At the same time, it's worth emphasizing that NVIDIA has not actually announced a 24GB GeForce RTX 5080 or any kind of refresh, much less committed to a launch date. Nevertheless, the latest information raises an interesting question about whether the rumored refresh could arrive as quickly as previously suggested.
According to Benchlife, NVIDIA was originally supposed to distribute design kits for the 24GB GeForce RTX 5080 in October. However, the site's sources claim that board partners still have not received the materials as we enter another month (November).
That's a potential setback. NVIDIA's AIB partners use design specifications to develop their custom boards, finalize component layouts, and test and validate models before bringing products to market.
The report also points to shortages of certain components as additional hurdles. Even if NVIDIA were to provide the necessary design kits soon, those challenges could make it difficult for board partners to have models ready for a retail release in January.
In some respects, it's mostly academic anyway. While having more VRAM sounds nice, component shortages have driven up prices to the point where some gamers will opt to wait things out. For example, the only GeForce RTX 5080 model that's in stock at Best Buy is a factory-overclocked PNY card that's listed for $1,999.99, which is twice the launch price of NVIDIA's own FE model.
All of that said, NVIDIA could still choose to announce new gaming hardware at or around CES, so for the second year in a row, we'll just have to wait and see what transpires.
