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It's safe to say a new Nvidia GPU is coming, but new leaks suggest the RTX 5080 will show up before the RTX 5090. Specifically, we could be looking at a mid-January launch for the 80-class card, and the RTX 5090 might not show up until later in the year.
Various sources seem to agree that Nvidia's next best graphics card contender will be the RTX 5080 rather than the RTX 5090. Wccftech makes that exact claim in a recent article, backing up a previous tweet by Kopite7kimi back in May. Technically, that latter reliable leaker was first to make this insider insight, but since Nvidia has a habit of changing its mind last minute, it makes sense keep tabs on Blackwell's release date.
As for what will actually happen during Nvidia's CES 2025 keynote, Videocardz says it has been told the event will focus on the RTX 5080. This suggests that the GeForce RTX 5090 might not make an appearance at all, which makes sense if it's not scheduled to release until later in the year. Whether CEO Jensen Huang will at least touch on the flagship remains to be seen, but this release date pattern might not be the worst thing for the GPU scene in its current state.
Should you wait for the RTX 5090?
Look, I want to see what the RTX 5090 can do as much as the next frame rate hungry person. However, I feel like wanting that potentially monstrous graphics card to arrive first when I can already hit 600fps in Overwatch 2 using an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is a tad unreasonable. Instead, I'd prefer to see the RTX 5080 arrive with equivalent performance to the current-gen Lovelace GPU and a much lower price tag.
Will Nvidia actually set its RTX 5080 lower than the RTX 4080 or even the RTX 4090's MSRP? I'm hoping so, and it would help the green team challenge the AMD Radeon RX 8900 XT if it shows up for much cheaper. That's entirely likely seeing as RDNA 3 cards dropped in 2022 for far less, even if the RX 7900 XTX wasn't really a true RTX 4090 competitor.
I am holding out for an Nvidia that switches its focus to value over holding a GPU peeing contest. I'd strongly argue that no one other than enthusiasts who end up freezing cards in a block of ice to boost fps slightly is craving more performance. Don't get me wrong, I won't turn my nose up at the RTX 5090 if it means no compromises in 4K, but what players arguably need more right now is an affordable Nvidia flagship.
There are a couple of factors that do worry me slightly when it comes to the RTX 5080 serving as an RTX 4090 stand in. For starters, rumors point towards the 80-class coming with 16GB GDDR7 VRAM, so you'll have less memory to protect you in the future from demanding system requirements. Recommending the second best GPU to enthusiasts when the flagship could arrive a few months later also feels like a potential dilemma, one that could affect the 5080's success if the price isn't right.
As always, I'd advise taking any and all early RTX 5090 information with a big grain of salt, even if CES is right around the corner. Last generation, Nvidia even went as far as to un-announce the RTX 4080 12GB shortly after its reveal, so nothing is guaranteed until the card is safe inside your gaming PC. Even then, I'd lock your doors since, y'know, it'll probably be worth more than your TV.
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