NVIDIA is finding itself in a bit of a bind as it faces chip shortages that are impacting the mass production of its highly anticipated mid-range RTX 50 GPUs. With demand soaring and supply struggling to keep up, Team Green is choosing to delay production to address these logistical challenges.
The rollout of NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series hasn’t been smooth sailing, particularly regarding inventory for the flagship GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs. Despite their popularity, the availability has been quite limited, mainly due to the intense global demand for semiconductors. As it stands, there’s no immediate relief in sight.
According to well-known leaker @mingchikuo, NVIDIA is planning to postpone the launch of its mid-range RTX 50 GPUs by about a month. This delay aims to give the supply chain some much-needed breathing room.
Earlier today, we covered this update, confirming that the RTX 5070’s launch is now set for early March, aligning with Ming-Chi Kuo’s insights. The core issue here is straightforward: NVIDIA simply can’t meet the current demand for its GPUs, and unveiling new models could exacerbate the shortage, leading to further frustration among consumers.
For a glimpse into the supply chain’s current state, consider that, according to @kakashiii111, Taiwan, a major market for NVIDIA, received fewer than 100 units of the RTX 5090. This scarcity is echoed across multiple regions, with retailers reporting extremely limited stock of NVIDIA’s RTX Blackwell GPU. NVIDIA is grappling with balancing supply and demand, and it may take several months before the situation stabilizes.
@kakashiii111 shared that one of the largest stores in Taiwan received only 20 RTX 5090 units and 300 RTX 5080 units as part of their initial shipment. Many smaller sellers in Taiwan were fortunate to receive only one or two units.
This postponement could potentially work in NVIDIA’s favor, helping them capitalize on some of the market spotlight from AMD’s RX 9070 series GPUs, assuming they can execute a successful launch. However, with general sentiment currently not in NVIDIA’s favor, AMD might seize the opportunity to dominate the mainstream GPU market with its RX 9070 models.