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- The RTX 50 Series represents Nvidia’s most botched GPU lineup release ever with a cascade of issues like driver instabilities, stock shortages, relentless scalping, and missing ROPs.
- Even though Nvidia has tried to address all the issues one by one, it has utterly failed to resolve the inventory mismanagement despite the reintroduction of certain consumer-centric facilities like the Verified Access Program.
- The Blackwell GPUs’ overpriced real-time market values don’t justify the comparatively minor leap in performance as opposed to the RTX 40 Series GPUs, which means people would rather buy an RTX 30xx or RTX 40xx GPU for far less money.
I’ve been building PCs for over a decade, and I’ve never seen a GPU launch as disastrous as Nvidia’s RTX 50 Series.
The moment the RTX 5060, 5070, 5080, and the monstrous 5090 hit the market, they vanished—poof—like a magic trick gone wrong.
But here’s the kicker: it’s about to get worse.
Nvidia, the company that once catered to gamers, is now turning its back on us.
And if you thought paying triple MSRP for an RTX 5090 was bad, just wait until production gets slashed even further.
The RTX 50 Series Disaster: Out of Stock, Overpriced, And Now Being Axed
Let’s talk numbers, because the situation is beyond ridiculous.
- RTX 5060 (MSRP: $299) → $549+ (83% markup)
- RTX 5060 Ti (MSRP: $399) → $699+ (75% markup)
- RTX 5070 (MSRP: $599) → $1,099+ (83% markup)
- RTX 5080 (MSRP: $899) → $1,799+ (100% markup)
- RTX 5090 (MSRP: $1,599) → $3,199+ (100% markup)
These aren’t just inflated prices—they’re scalper paradise. And Nvidia? They’re doing nothing to stop it.
Nvidia would like you to think they’re prioritising consumers by showing proactiveness in the form of bringing back the Verified Access Program, but let’s face it, what good are a couple of Founders Edition cards going to do when the demand is literally in the hundred thousands, if not millions?
Well, why isn’t Nvidia doing something actually useful to resolve this? Because they don’t have to.
Nvidia Doesn’t Care About Gamers Anymore
Let’s be brutally honest: Gaming GPUs are no longer Nvidia’s priority.
If we take last year’s figures into consideration, In Q1 2024, Nvidia reported $26 billion in revenue—a 262% YoY increase.
But here’s the kicker: Data Center GPUs (AI chips) accounted for $22.6 billion (87%) of that revenue. Gaming? A measly $2.6 billion (10%).
Jensen Huang isn’t sitting in boardrooms discussing how to get more RTX 50 Series cards into gamers’ hands. He’s too busy counting the billions rolling in from AI giants like Microsoft, Google, and Meta, who are hoarding H100s and GB200s like there’s no tomorrow.
And now, according to a leak on Board Channels, Nvidia is planning to cut RTX 50 Series production in China by another 20-30% to divert resources toward AI-centric GPUs like the GB200, B40 (China-exclusive), and the upcoming GB300.
What does this mean for gamers? Even fewer cards, even higher prices.
RTX 50 Series: The Scalpers Have Won
Nvidia’s indifference has created a vacuum, and scalpers are filling it with glee.
With official supply drying up, eBay, Craigslist, and other gray-market platforms are the only places left to buy an RTX 50 Series GPU—at double or triple MSRP.
Remember when Nvidia promised better anti-bot measures? Laughable.
The RTX 50 Series launch was worse than the RTX 30 Series crypto craze. At least back then, Nvidia pretended to care by implementing LHR (Low Hash Rate) on subsequently produced GPUs to offset the GPUs’ crypto-mining abilities, even if it wasn’t 100% effective.
Now? They’re openly shifting focus to AI, leaving gamers to fend for themselves.
What’s Left For Gamers?
If you were holding out hope that Nvidia would ramp up production, think again.
The AI gold rush is in full swing, and gaming GPUs are an afterthought, But to be honest, Nvidia isn’t alone, even though it may be the worst out of all other GPU manufacturers.
- AMD? They’re struggling to compete at the high end segment of the consumer-centric GPU market.
- Intel? Even though a few GPUs like the B580 and A770 have showed potential, they’re still finding their footing due to stock shortages and subsequent lack of availability.
- Second-hand market? Flooded with overpriced last-gen cards.
Nvidia has abandoned the gaming market, and unless something drastic changes, this is the new normal.
My Final Thoughts: A Dark Future For PC Gamers
I never thought I’d say this, but buying a GPU in 2025 feels like a losing battle. Nvidia has all but confirmed that gamers are no longer their core audience.
The RTX 50 Series was a disaster at launch, and now, with production cuts looming, it’s only going to get worse.
If you somehow find an RTX 5080 or 5090 at MSRP, buy it immediately. Because soon, the only way to get one will be by selling a kidney on the black market.
Welcome to the new era of PC gaming—where the hardware is fictional, the prices are criminal, and Nvidia just doesn’t care.
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[Wiki Editor]
Ali Rashid Khan is an avid gamer, hardware enthusiast, photographer, and devoted litterateur with a period of experience spanning more than 14 years. Sporting a specialization with regards to the latest tech in flagship phones, gaming laptops, and top-of-the-line PCs, Ali is known for consistently presenting the most detailed objective perspective on all types of gaming products, ranging from the Best Motherboards, CPU Coolers, RAM kits, GPUs, and PSUs amongst numerous other peripherals. When he’s not busy writing, you’ll find Ali meddling with mechanical keyboards, indulging in vehicular racing, or professionally competing worldwide with fellow mind-sport athletes in Scrabble at an international level. Currently speaking, Ali has completed his A-Level GCEs with plans to go into either Allopathic Medicine or Business Studies, or who knows, perhaps a full-time dedicated technological journalist.
Get In Touch: alirashid@tech4gamers.com
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