Nvidia is trying to make its GeForce RTX 5000 series seem more impressive to the media by suggesting that the latest GPUs are selling better than the previous generation. However, many pundits aren’t buying the claim.
PC Mag pondered whether Nvidia has orchestrated a “paper launch” of the RTX 5000 series, suggesting that there might not be much of a product available for consumers. The majority of the people with their hands on the GPUs, especially the high-end models such as the 5090 and 5080 appear to be reviewers, influencers, and other determined enthusiasts as opposed to everyday gamers, who are still using prior generation GPUs at higher rates.
The component manufacturer met with the media on Wednesday, with executives acknowledging consumers’ frustrations at the limited supply of RTX 5000 series GPUs in the market. The first models of the RTX 5000 launched on January 30, and there have been staggered releases since then. While Nvidia has struggled with availability and supply issues, third-party pricing drama, and quality control struggles, its GPUs remain in high demand, with some consumers opting to purchase the products through scalpers. Tom’s Hardware noted that some eBay auctions have sold RTX 5090 GPUs for as much as $4,500, while Nvidia’s pricing starts at $2,000.
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Supply skepticism
In efforts to ensure consumers, Nvidia VP of the GeForce Platform, Jason Paul, told journalists that Nvidia and its partners are working to increase its supply and catch up with demand as quickly as possible.
Paul attempted to make a hopeful comparison to the brand’s prior GPU series, stating: “In the first five weeks since 50 series GPUs hit shelves, we’ve shipped twice as many GPUs compared to the 40 series in the same time frame, so supply is flowing.”
However, pundits consider the claims might be baseless, considering the circumstances of the respective releases.
Many publications noted that Nvidia has released several GPU models in the 5000 series in the last five weeks, including the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, which launched on January 30, the RTX 5070 Ti, which launched on February 20, and the RTX 5070, which launched on March 5. Notably, the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 have been considered in low supply the entire time. In comparison, the brand only released the RTX 4090 on October 12, 2022, which stood as the brand’s sole GPU option for five weeks until the RTX 4080 launched on November 16.
While not mentioned, Nvidia also plans to add the RTX 5060 Ti and RTX 5060 GPUs to the mix, with models expected for a mid-March announcement and April market release.
Many media moments
Nvidia indicated in its most recent earnings call last month that the brand struggled with supply constraints during the timeframe between November 2024 and January 2025. It now expects supplies to increase in the coming months.
If this is the case, the RTX 5000 series launch was troubled from the beginning, as that time period directly preceded the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 launch. Nvidia announced the GPUs in late January with advice to consumers that they would not be readily available. The brand would have needed a strategy to keep consumers distracted but interested in the product. Hence, the many sensationalist headlines that have surfaced amid news of a limited supply of RTX 5000 series GPUs.
The RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 were in limited supply, but a random Redditor just happens to have a high-end GPU on hand to pair with a prior-generation PhysX-compatible GPU to see how it performs. The RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 were in limited supply, but YouTubers and journalists just happened to have one on hand to test the missing ROPs (Raster Operations Pipeline unit) issue happening with the RTX 5090. The RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 were in limited supply, but third-party retailers are boosting the prices of out-of-stock GPUs beyond their MSRPs and lowering the prices again when it was reported on by the media.
This latest media meeting may go down as another method to hide the fact that there still aren’t enough physical GPUs to meet overall consumer demand.
Meanwhile, the everyday gamer has been very satisfied with older Nvidia GPU models due to availability and affordable prices. A recent Steam Hardware and Software Survey has indicated the RTX 4060 is the most favored graphics card among users on the platform. Available since June 2023, the graphics card sells for between $300 and $350. Other top options for Steam users include the RTX 3060 and the RTX 4060 Ti.
While consumers surely want to get their hands on the latest-generation GPUs, the components that are readily available continue to serve them well.
