Launch of NVIDIA’s Mainstream RTX 5070 & 5060 GPUs Delayed, Now Set for March and April

NVIDIA is experiencing bumps in the road with its supply chain for the mid-range RTX 50 series GPUs, leading to a delay in mass production due to a widespread chip shortage.

The new RTX 50 series from Team Green hasn’t had the smoothest rollout, with stock levels being particularly low for the flagship GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 cards. This hiccup is attributed largely to the ongoing global semiconductor demand, which doesn’t seem to be easing up anytime soon.

Well-known leaker @mingchikuo has stated that NVIDIA plans to delay the launch of its mid-range RTX 50 series GPUs by about a month. This temporary halt is intended to give the strained supply chain some much-needed breathing room.

Gamers and hardware enthusiasts are avidly awaiting the RTX 5090 and 5080, but continuing chip supply issues have led to significant shortages. The production of the RTX 5070 and 5060 is now expected to be pushed back from the originally planned February/March timeframe to March/April. This limited supply suggests these cards will likely disappear off shelves again in no time.

Earlier today, we covered the same delay news. Ming-Chi Kuo’s comments now add weight to this story. NVIDIA simply can’t keep up with the current consumer GPU demand, and launching new models could result in another cycle of frustration for consumers as stocks vanish quickly.

A look into the situation reveals that Taiwan, a crucial market for NVIDIA, received fewer than 100 units of the RTX 5090, reflecting a severe supply imbalance across the board. Retailers are seeing minimal stock, with some reporting barely enough inventory to count on one hand. It seems Team Green is struggling to balance supply and demand. Our outlook suggests this may not stabilize for several months.

@kakashiii111 provides further insight, noting an encounter with a large Taiwanese store that only received 20 units of the RTX 5090 and 300 of the 5080 in the initial batch. Smaller retailers were fortunate to get even one or two units.

Pushing back the release of mid-range GPUs might, however, play to NVIDIA’s advantage by capturing attention away from AMD’s competing RX 9070 series, assuming NVIDIA can manage a successful launch. Currently, though, AMD is well-positioned to take charge of the mainstream GPU market, particularly as tensions rise against NVIDIA in the consumer community.