NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5090 “GB202” Chip Found Defective in Certain Market Units; All Models May Be Impacted

The latest news in the world of graphics cards brings us an unwelcome surprise. NVIDIA’s top-of-the-line GeForce RTX 5090 GPUs, equipped with the anticipated "Blackwell" GB202 chip, are reportedly encountering significant issues that could be a concern for many users.

Trouble Brewing with NVIDIA’s RTX Blackwell GPU: Reduced ROPs Detected in GPU-Z Tests

Gamers have faced numerous challenges in the GPU market, from scarcity to defects. This time, NVIDIA’s cutting-edge RTX Blackwell graphics cards seem to be hitting a new snag. Reports indicate that some units are suffering from a substantial drop in performance, stemming from defects in the Blackwell GB202 chip itself. A prominent example emerged when a ZOTAC GeForce RTX 5090 displayed this issue, and further insights from @MEGAsizeGPU suggest that the root cause lies within the chip.

"The root cause is the chip. A small batch of GB202 is defective, and the bios can not do anything with this issue." — MEGAsizeGPU (@Zed__Wang) February 21, 2025

If you aren’t familiar with the technical details, here’s a quick rundown: the GeForce RTX 5090 is showing fewer ROPs (Render Output Units) on GPU-Z software, hinting at reduced performance for affected units. Initially, there was some belief that software errors could be behind this discrepancy, but it now looks like the real issue is with the faulty GB202 chip—certainly alarming news for consumers and the company alike.

To dismiss the notion that GPU-Z might be at fault, further tests were conducted using HWINFO on one of the problematic RTX 5090 models. Unfortunately, these tests confirmed the reduced ROP count, underscoring a deeper problem at play. Although it’s early days, and only a limited number of graphics cards may be affected, rumors are swirling that the issue could extend across various models, even touching the Founder’s Edition (FE).

So, where does this leave us? We’ve reached out to NVIDIA for their take on the situation. Given that the GB202 chip is at the heart of these problems, it’s anticipated that NVIDIA will soon begin issuing replacements via their RMA program. The hope is that the issues remain confined, especially since NVIDIA’s "mid-range" GPUs are rumored to face production delays due to separate performance concerns.

To our audience, we advise checking your RTX 5090 models for any ROP discrepancies. If you notice fewer than the expected 176 ROPs, please inform us. As the situation continues to evolve, we will keep you updated on any developments, including whether similar issues surface with other models like the GeForce RTX 5080. Stay tuned for more updates as the story unfolds.