Learn extra at:
Facepalm: Nvidia’s checklist costs for the just lately launched RTX 50 collection graphics playing cards have change into virtually imaginary, with board companions charging tons of extra for some fashions. Whereas a couple of listings nonetheless keep the pretense of MSRP, MSI had none over the weekend, sparking issues of a repeat of 2021’s crypto-driven value inflation.
{Hardware} & Co just lately caught MSI elevating the costs of its Nvidia RTX 50 collection graphics playing cards, successfully eliminating the final remaining MSRP listings. Though the costs have since reverted, solely two RTX 5070 Ti fashions presently adhere to Nvidia’s advised pricing.
A screenshot from VideoCardz reveals that MSI briefly hiked the costs of its most cost-effective RTX 5070 Ti variants, itemizing the Shadow 3X at $819 and the Shadow 3X OC at $839 – each of which have since returned to the GPU’s $749 MSRP. The Ventus 3X OC and Encourage 3X OC additionally noticed non permanent value will increase of $70 and $80, respectively.
Sadly, MSI continues to use premiums to all accessible RTX 5080 and 5090 fashions. Regardless of the RTX 5080’s official $999 MSRP, MSI’s most cost-effective choice is the Ventus 3X at $1,139. In the meantime, the RTX 5090, theoretically priced at $1,999, really begins at $2,399.
Whereas different board companions have additionally raised costs for many RTX 50 fashions, some MSRP listings stay, suggesting that not all producers have adopted MSI’s lead – not less than not but. The usual RTX 5070, launching on March 5, has up to now maintained its $549 checklist value.
Inflated costs have solely worsened what was already a lukewarm cost-per-frame enchancment with the RTX 50 collection. Our RTX 5070 Ti review concluded that the GPU is barely worthwhile at MSRP. At $900, clients may as effectively have purchased an RTX 4070 Ti two years in the past. clients pressured to pay $900 as a substitute could as effectively have bought an RTX 4070 Ti two years in the past.
Nonetheless, even these overpriced fashions tend to sell out immediately. When Nvidia’s newest lineup launched in January, some retailers obtained solely double- and even single-digit portions of high-end playing cards, and it stays unclear when inventory ranges will enhance.
One idea behind the shortage of MSRP fashions from board companions factors to their razor-thin profit margins, worsened by Nvidia’s choice to make use of dearer GDDR7 VRAM for each RTX 50 GPU. Moreover, a latest earthquake in Taiwan possible impacted provide chains.
Whether or not AMD can capitalize on what some have called a paper launch from Nvidia stays unsure. Workforce Crimson’s Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT are set to launch imminently at $549 and $599, with rasterized efficiency anticipated to intently match the RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti. Nonetheless, board companion listings for AMD’s new GPUs have but to floor.