NVIDIA has officially launched its highly anticipated GeForce RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 graphics cards today, January 30, 2025, at 3 PM local time. With much buzz surrounding the release, the company expects significant demand, indicating potential stock shortages shortly thereafter. Tim Adams, NVIDIA's community lead, informed, "We expect significant demand for the GeForce RTX 5090 and 5080 and believe stock shortages could occur." This warning sets the stage for eager gamers and tech enthusiasts lined up to secure their next generation of gaming hardware.
The new additions to the RTX family are significant, featuring the latest Blackwell architecture, which emphasizes artificial intelligence capabilities and top-notch gaming performance. The RTX 5080, priced at €1,179, aims to become the go-to choice for 4K gaming, providing excellent performance-to-price ratios and energy efficiency. Meanwhile, the more powerful RTX 5090, retailing at €2,349, promises to deliver superior benchmarks albeit at a higher cost.
For those eager to purchase, the RTX 5080 is available at several major French retailers such as LDLC, Grosbill, and Rue du Commerce, offering variations from brands like MSI, GIGABYTE, and ASUS. NVIDIA’s own Founder Edition models are being offered directly through their online store. While these suggested retail prices align with manufacturers' recommendations, previous launches hint at common occurrences where prices soar due to scarcity. Clubic reported the average price of the RTX 5080 at around €1,530 based on current listings from LDLC, highlighting the disparity between the MSRP and actual prices one might expect to pay.
Consumers have expressed frustration over this pattern, as history shows high demand for NVIDIA’s latest GPUs often leads to rapid sell-outs. Adverse speculation surrounds the affect of scalpers— individuals who buy large quantities of products to resell at exorbitant prices—on consumer accessibility. Adams pointed out, “NVIDIA and our partners are shipping more stock daily to help get GPUs to gamers,” but whether this will suffice remains uncertain as competition for limited units is fierce.
The differences between the Founder's Edition and custom models introduced by other manufacturers, such as those from MSI and ASUS, add another layer of choice for consumers. The Founder's Editions are standard models made directly by NVIDIA, featuring baseline cooling systems, whereas custom models come equipped with enhanced cooling mechanisms, which may allow for slight overclocking but remain within the same performance parameters as their Founder's counterparts. The appeal lies primarily with aesthetics—custom models often feature RGB lighting and modified fan configurations for optimal thermal management, but these options can significantly escalate pricing.
From what is known, the RTX 5080 boasts impressive specifications, including 16 GB of GDDR7 memory, achieving gaming performance at resolutions reaching 4K at high refresh rates. Although initial benchmarks suggest the RTX 5090 surpasses the RTX 4080 model performance-wise, the RTX 5080 is still undeniably aimed at gamers wanting high-quality visuals without the steepest price tag associated with next-gen graphics tech.
Along with launching these flagship graphics cards, NVIDIA has announced its commitment to reducing regional price discrepancies and making products available equitably. The demand pacing of the last few launches has prompted NVIDIA to make adjustments, improving stock chain logistics—however, the effectiveness of these changes will soon be put to the test as consumers frantically try to place their orders.
To accompany the rush, many consumers are left asking: How can one strategically secure the best deal? Experts suggest monitoring retailer websites closely or opting for direct purchases through NVIDIA’s online store, especially for the Founder's Editions. Setting notifications and being prepared to act quickly are two methods buyers may employ to avoid missing out on their desired graphics card.
Today marks the dawn of what many expect to be one of the most significant chapters for NVIDIA and the gaming community at large as the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 hit shelves. The excitement is palpable, yet uncertainty about supply and demand hangs heavily overhead. Will NVIDIA rise to meet the enthusiasm its technology generates? Only time will tell as consumers await their chance to own these powerhouse GPUs.