Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080: Desktop graphics card rumoured to launch before the RTX 5090
More leaks about Nvidia's GeForce RTX 50 series of graphics cards have started to emerge online. This one comes from a reliable source, Kopite7Kimi, who says that Nvidia plans to switch things up this time around. Unlike the past two generations, the GeForce RTX 5090 will not be the first Blackwell SKU to hit shelves later this year. Instead, it will be the GeForce RTX 5080.
Unfortunately, the leaker doesn't specify when Nvidia plans to unveil its next generation of gaming graphics cards. So far, the GeForce RTX 5080 is rumoured to feature a GB203 GPU with 96 SMs, 256-bit bus-width and 16 GB of GDDR7 VRAM. However, it might not feature a full GB203 die. Its CUDA core count remains unknown because Blackwell is slated to launch with redesigned SMs.
Earlier leaks predicted outlandish performance gains, but they'll likely be a lot less impressive, given that Blackwell will still be manufactured on a 5 nm class node (TSMC 4NP) instead of the earlier rumoured N3E. Exactly why Nvidia pushed the GeForce RTX 5090's release to next year remains a mystery. Perhaps all the good GB202 dies have been earmarked for the more profitable data centre SKUs.
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