After more than two years of the RTX 40 series with its impressive RT capabilities and disappointing price movements, we are finally on the verge of the next-generation RTX 50 “Blackwell” GPUs. Nvidia is set to unveil the first few RTX 50 cards, the RTX 5090, the RTX 5080, and possibly the RTX 5070/Ti, in a few days at CES 2025, while the entry-level options are expected to follow a while later.
Like the RTX 40 series, the RTX 5090 and the RTX 5080 will reportedly be the first GPUs to show up on store shelves soon after the official announcement. However, Nvidia could be changing things up a bit this time by offering the RTX 5080 before the RTX 5090.
RTX 5080 release date
We reported last month that the RTX 5080 could be available to buy in mid-January 2025. Courtesy of HKEPC on X, we now have a concrete RTX 5080 release date of January 21.
Additionally, based on HKEPC’s information and previous leaks, the RTX 5090 release date should fall later than January 21. If the launch of the RTX 40 series is anything to go by, there could be a month between the RTX 5080 launch date and the RTX 5090, since the RTX 4090 was released on October 12, 2022, while the RTX 4080 followed on November 16, 2022.
Whatever happens, Nvidia needs to keep the RTX 5080 price at a reasonable level.
RTX 5080 expected price
The RTX 5080 is expected to cost more than the RTX 4080, at least according to a recent rumor. However, if Nvidia does price the RTX 5080 above the $1,200 launch MSRP of the RTX 4080, the card would lose quite a bit of its appeal due to the negative impact on the price/performance.
Even if we assume that the RTX 5080 brings a notable performance improvement and matches the RTX 4090 in pure rasterization, a price of more than $1,200 or, God forbid, close to the level of an RTX 4090 will be a tremendous disappointment.
But, as is the case with all GPU launches, the RTX 5080 price is not final until Jensen Huang takes the stage and announces it himself. Till then, take all pricing rumors and talks with a healthy dose of skepticism.
Source(s)
HKEPC on X, VideoCardz, Teaser image: Asus, Boliviainteligente on Unsplash, edited