MSI has officially confirmed that NVIDIA’s highly anticipated RTX 50 series graphics cards will face severe supply constraints at launch. The shortage, primarily affecting the flagship RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 models, is expected to impact the scheduled release on January 30th.
According to MSI’s statement, the supply shortage stems from insufficient chip allocation from NVIDIA to its board partners. Industry sources reveal that some retailers have received RTX 5090 units in single-digit quantities, highlighting the severity of the situation. The scarcity has already triggered price escalation in certain regions, with some variants reportedly being listed at double their manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP).
The supply constraint appears to be rooted in communication issues between NVIDIA and its AIB (Add-in Board) partners, leaving manufacturers struggling to produce adequate quantities of custom editions. While February is expected to bring gradual improvement in availability, the initial launch window will likely prove challenging for consumers hoping to secure these high-end graphics cards at reasonable prices.
The situation is particularly concerning for the European market, where additional premium taxes are set to further impact the already premium-priced GPUs. This combination of limited supply and increased costs could significantly affect the value proposition of these new graphics cards.
While no official statements have been made regarding the upcoming RTX 5070 Ti, scheduled for release on February 20th, industry observers are watching closely to see if similar supply issues will affect its launch. As of now, NVIDIA has not publicly addressed the situation or provided details about their distribution strategy.