Popular and powerful as the current generation of Nvidia GeForce is, anticipation for the company’s RTX 50 series is palpable. Following the reveal of its Blackwell GPU architecture earlier this year, many hoped the company would pull back the curtain on its next-gen graphics cards for gamers soon after. Sadly, though, despite it almost being two years since Lovelace’s launch, recent rumours will disappoint anyone eager to upgrade their pixel pusher.
Nvidia continues to keep details about the RTX 50 series close to its chest. Tight as its grip may be, it’s not completely watertight. Recent reports suggest GeForce RTX 5080 will lead the charge, with its 70 and 60-class siblings presumably following after. However, it seems Team Green is in no rush to end the reign of its current architecture.
According to kopite7kimi, a reliable leaker of all things Nvidia, we shouldn’t expect new GPUs until next year. In a post on X, they say, “I think we won’t see RTX 50 until CES.” If true, the earliest we’ll see the next generation of GeForce graphics cards will be January 2025.
For context, Nvidia launched the RTX 40 series with GeForce RTX 4090 back in October 2022. If this launch window comes to pass, this would create a 27-month gap between generations, making for a slightly longer wait than the 25-month gap from RTX 30 series.
There are several reasons likely behind Nvidia’s decision to launch the RTX 50 series uncharacteristically late. For instance, Steam users are finally flocking to RTX 4060 and other current-generation cards. This recent boom in adoption is partly due to the once over-abundant RTX 30 series stock drying up. As such, the company would undoubtedly prefer the sales of its next-generation lineup to fly free of the weight of its predecessors.
That’s not forgetting a change in priorities. Don’t forget, Nvidia has AI to thank for its recent financial success. So, with TSMC prices rising alongside other costs, it makes the most sense for the company to spend its money where it’ll make the biggest return. To be clear, GeForce remains a profitable venture, but not nearly to the same degree.
Finally, there’s the competition to consider. Nvidia effectively dominates the high-end space and will continue to do so if leaked RDNA 4 strategies prove true. Without an impending threat to its dominance on the horizon, the company can afford to adopt a more leisurely pace in its release cadence.
If you can afford to wait for the best graphics cards in RTX 50 series, it’d be wise to do so. On the flip side, there’s no shame in buying what’s on the market now. Today’s graphics cards are awesomely powerful and will still be for years to come. If you still need convincing, give our GeForce RTX 4080 Super review a read.
