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

NVIDIA has found itself in a bit of a bind with its mid-range RTX 50 GPUs, as the company navigates a chip supply crunch coupled with soaring demand.

The rollout of NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series has been anything but smooth sailing. When it launched, NVIDIA entered the market with an unusually low stock of its top-tier GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs. This situation largely stems from the world grappling with an unprecedented demand for semiconductors, and unfortunately, there’s no sign of relief in sight.

Renowned industry insider @mingchikuo has revealed that NVIDIA is considering pushing the launch of its mid-range RTX 50 GPUs by about a month. This adjustment aims to give the supply chain some much-needed breathing room.

In a tweet, Kuo highlighted that gamers and tech enthusiasts are eagerly waiting to snag the RTX 5090 and 5080 models. However, the persistent chip supply issues are causing significant bottlenecks, likely delaying mass production of the RTX 5070 and 5060 from the initial February/March window to March/April. Consequently, we can expect these cards to vanish from shelves as fast as they arrive.

Earlier, we covered similar developments, noting that the RTX 5070’s launch is now anticipated in early March, aligning with Kuo’s statements. The crux of the matter is quite straightforward: NVIDIA simply can’t keep up with the current consumer GPU demand. Launching new models would only lead to more demand and inevitably more sold-out signs, leaving potential customers disappointed.

To give you a clearer picture of how strained the supply chain is, an analysis shared by @kakashiii111 indicates that Taiwan received less than 100 units of the RTX 5090—a prominent market for NVIDIA. The shortage is consistent across various regions, with reports from retailers indicating they are only receiving “single-digit” inventory numbers for NVIDIA’s flagship RTX Blackwell GPU. At the moment, NVIDIA seems to be on the back foot, and according to our projections, it might take several months before the situation sees any improvement.

@kakashiii111 also reported an encounter with a major Taiwanese store, which only got 20 units of the RTX 5090 and 300 of the RTX 5080 in the initial shipment. Smaller retailers were lucky if they got even one or two units, underscoring the extent of the shortage.

Pushing back the release of mid-range GPUs could strategically work in NVIDIA’s favor, potentially shifting attention from AMD’s upcoming RX 9070 series GPUs. That is, of course, if NVIDIA can manage their release without a hitch. Meanwhile, AMD seems poised to seize a substantial share of the mainstream GPU market with their RX 9070 SKUs, as sentiment currently leans in their favor over NVIDIA.