NVIDIA has officially launched its highly anticipated RTX 50-series of graphics cards, boasting impressive specifications and innovative features aimed at both gamers and professionals alike. The announcement was made during CES 2025, where NVIDIA introduced its new lineup of graphics cards including the RTX 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti, and 5070. These GPUs are described as the fastest lineup NVIDIA has developed, with prices ranging from $549 to $1,999.
The RTX 5070, with its $549 price tag, is particularly noteworthy. NVIDIA claims it delivers performance on par with the previous generation’s flagship, the RTX 4090, which initially launched at $1,599. This kind of pricing strategy could make high-end graphics capabilities more accessible to gamers. Alongside the RTX 5070, the RTX 5070 Ti will retail for $749, the RTX 5080 at $999, and the top-tier RTX 5090 will set consumers back $1,999.
A significant upgrade featured across all new models is the transition to GDDR7 video memory (VRAM). This memory type is touted to be more powerful and efficient compared to the GDDR6x memory used previously. NVIDIA emphasized this change during the launch, stating, "The RTX 50-series marks the jump to GDDR7 video memory (VRAM), which is both more powerful and power efficient than the GDDR6x utilized in most RTX 40-series cards." This shift is expected to contribute to enhanced performance and lower power consumption during intensive tasks.
But perhaps the most buzzworthy feature is NVIDIA's new DLSS 4 technology. This cutting-edge system leverages AI enhancements to dramatically improve gaming performance. NVIDIA claims, "DLSS 4 taps even more deeply on AI, generating 3 frames with trained AI for every 1 rendered on the GPU." This technique allows for smoother gameplay and improved graphical fidelity, which is increasingly becoming important as games evolve to be more visually demanding.
The RTX 50-series graphics cards will be available starting on January 30 for the RTX 5090 and 5080 models, with the RTX 5070 Ti and 5070 expected to hit the shelves shortly after, beginning February. The NVIDIA Founders Editions for these models will be available directly through the NVIDIA website and select retailers worldwide.
This launch could also shift the competitive dynamics within the GPU market as AMD has been positioning itself with newly announced RDNA 4 graphics architecture slated to rival NVIDIA’s products. The upcoming AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 are poised to challenge NVIDIA, even as they plan to introduce their own FSR4 upscaling and frame generation technology.
Overall, the debut of the RTX 50-series could mark a significant step forward not only for NVIDIA but for the gaming industry as a whole. Enthusiasts are eager to see how these new graphics cards perform, particularly with the intense competition from AMD. NVIDIA appears ready to solidify its leadership with this powerful new lineup as it continues to push the boundaries of what gaming hardware can achieve.