Launch of NVIDIA’s Mainstream RTX 5070 & 5060 GPUs Delayed to March & April

NVIDIA’s latest announcement about their RTX 50 series GPUs has stirred quite a buzz, primarily due to some bumps in the road, particularly with the supply chain challenges. It seems that the company, often referred to as Team Green, is dealing with a scarcity in chip supplies right when demand is skyrocketing, which might push back their plans to start mass production of these sought-after graphics cards.

The anticipated release of their RTX 50 series has become a bit of a mess inventory-wise. Early reports indicated that NVIDIA was hitting the market with notably low quantities of their flagship models, the GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080. This shortage is largely attributed to the ongoing global scramble for semiconductors, a situation that doesn’t seem to be getting better anytime soon.

A well-known industry insider, Ming-Chi Kuo, who regularly shares insights on Twitter, suggests that NVIDIA might delay the launch of their mid-range RTX 50 GPUs. Originally planned for an earlier release, it looks like they might need to push it back by about a month to let their supply chain catch its breath.

A tweet from Ming-Chi Kuo hints at growing impatience among gamers and tech enthusiasts eager to get their hands on the RTX 5090 and 5080. Alas, supply issues are hampering availability. He anticipates these problems will delay the RTX 5070 and 5060 models’ transition from planning to production, now estimated from February/March to a March/April timeframe. With limited quantities, these cards are expected to vanish from shelves swiftly.

Earlier today, we shared similar updates, confirming that the RTX 5070 will likely debut in early March. This aligns perfectly with what Kuo has shared. The crux of the situation is straightforward: NVIDIA cannot satisfy the existing demand for its GPUs. Introducing new models amidst this chaos would only exacerbate the frustration of consumers who are already facing empty shelves.

Providing a clearer view of the supply chain bottlenecks, another Twitter user, Kakashii, analyzed the situation. They highlighted that in Taiwan, a crucial NVIDIA market, only fewer than 100 units of the RTX 5090 were available. The scenario wasn’t much better elsewhere, as various retailers reported incredibly low inventory levels for NVIDIA’s high-end offerings. It seems NVIDIA is grappling with balancing supply and demand. We’re cautiously optimistic that as the months go by, this predicament will ease.

Kakashii also tweeted about discussions with a major Taiwanese store, revealing that their entire network received just 20 of the 5090 units and 300 of the 5080 cards in the first shipment. Smaller sellers faced even more daunting numbers, often securing just one or two units each.

Strategically, delaying the mid-range GPU launch could offer NVIDIA some unexpected advantages. It might allow them to steal some thunder from AMD’s RX 9070 series if they play their cards right. There’s a growing sentiment that AMD could capitalize on NVIDIA’s current struggles and capture a significant portion of the mainstream GPU market with their upcoming releases.