Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Rumored for January 21 Release

As CES 2025 approaches, fresh details have emerged about the upcoming availability of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5000-series graphics cards.

The announcement, which is expected to take place at CES starting January 7 in Las Vegas—an event anticipated to bring numerous PC hardware reveals—suggests that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 could be one of the first models to hit the market, likely arriving just weeks after the show. This would push aside the previously anticipated RTX 4080 Super from last year, indicating that Nvidia is eager to push out its new flagship GPU earlier than expected.

Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4080 Super Graphics Card

The RTX 4080 Super, while still a powerful card in its own right, seems to be taking a backseat as Nvidia focuses on pushing its 5000-series lineup. The new RTX 5000 cards are expected to bring even more performance and efficiency improvements, further solidifying Nvidia’s lead in the GPU market. The emphasis on the 5000-series likely signals an intent to cater to the growing demand for GPUs that can handle intensive AI workloads, high-end gaming, and immersive virtual reality experiences.

When Will the RTX 5080 Be Released?

The release date of January 21 has been mentioned by Twitter user HKepcmedia (via Videocardz), though no additional details were provided regarding other models like the RTX 5090. It seems that the RTX 5080 will be the first card available for purchase, with other models expected to follow. However, due to the dynamic nature of the tech industry, it’s important to consider that release dates are subject to change, particularly as Nvidia finalizes its production and distribution schedules. Unfortunately, the tweet has since been deleted, and therefore, it is not possible to provide a direct link.

When Will Other Models, Such as the RTX 5090 and 5070 Ti, Arrive?

If the RTX 5080 does indeed lead the launch, it could indicate that the RTX 5090 will follow closely behind, likely releasing in mid-February or early March, mirroring the release cadence of the RTX 4000 series. This pattern saw the RTX 4090 arrive first, followed by the RTX 4080 a month later, and the RTX 4070 Ti about a month after that.

Looking back, the third card in the 4000-series launch schedule, the RTX 4070 Ti, took considerably longer to arrive—about eight weeks after the initial announcement—partly due to the holiday season. If a similar timeline is followed, the RTX 5070 Ti might not appear until April. However, Nvidia has been known to speed up production when demand is high, so the timeline could be adjusted if the market warrants it.

Pricing Predictions

As with most new graphics card releases, pricing predictions are a hot topic. There are also expectations that pricing details will be shared next week, at least for the first wave of releases, which are likely to include the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090. Rumors suggest that these models could be priced as high as $1,500 and $2,500, respectively, reflecting the high-performance specs and technological advancements within each card.

However, there’s hope that the final pricing might be more consumer-friendly than initially feared, as Nvidia could be aiming to maintain competitiveness against AMD’s growing Radeon lineup. With Nvidia continuing to dominate in the gaming and AI sectors, clarity on the pricing strategy will be key. We should get more insight into the exact price points during Nvidia’s CES announcement, which will likely shed light on the company’s strategy to balance performance, price, and market positioning.

Competition and Memory Specs

The competition in the GPU market remains fierce, and the RTX 5000 series is unlikely to face any real challengers at the top end, as AMD is expected to focus on cards with performance levels similar to the RTX 4080, with an emphasis on value and gaining market share. This might start with the Radeon RX 9070 XT. While memory capacity has remained relatively consistent across the board in recent generations, the RTX 5090 is expected to feature a substantial 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM, which would be a significant upgrade over the current generation’s offerings. This increased memory capacity will be essential for handling the most demanding AI applications, large-scale simulations, and next-gen gaming.

The RTX 5080, expected to include 16GB of memory, should provide a substantial performance boost over its predecessors while being more accessible to gamers and professionals who don’t require the sheer horsepower of the RTX 5090. The RTX 5070 Ti is rumored to also offer 16GB, which, while not an increase over the RTX 4070 Ti Super, is more than the RTX 4070 Ti’s memory.

At the lower end of the spectrum, the RTX 5060 is speculated to retain the same 8GB memory capacity as its predecessor. This has drawn some criticism from gamers and commentators, as the increasing demands of modern games and applications may make 8GB limiting in the long run. It will be interesting to see if Nvidia revises its plans closer to launch.

Power Requirements and Leaks

As is often the case with new graphics cards, there are rumors that these newer models will draw more power. A representative from the Chinese PSU manufacturer Segotep has claimed that the RTX 5090 will use the same 16-pin 12VPWR connector as the RTX 4090, with a single 600W connector being sufficient to power the card. This suggests that Nvidia’s new GPUs will continue to push the boundaries of performance while maintaining efficiency improvements over previous generations.

If the RTX 5080 and 5090 follow similar power consumption trends as their predecessors, users will need to ensure that their power supplies are up to the task. The power consumption of high-end graphics cards continues to increase as Nvidia introduces more powerful models, meaning that users will need to consider upgrading their PSUs to match the increased demand.

With that in mind, it’s important for gamers and professionals alike to keep an eye on Nvidia’s CES announcement, as it will likely reveal more concrete details about the power requirements for these upcoming cards.

Upcoming Leaks and CES Updates

We can expect additional news and leaks to surface over the next week as we near CES. Nvidia is expected to make several major announcements about the RTX 5000 series, so keep an eye out for new information regarding specs, pricing, and performance benchmarks. As we get closer to the event, the full picture of Nvidia’s strategy for its next-generation GPUs will come into focus.

I’ll be covering all the hardware launches revealed at the event, including the GeForce RTX 5080, so make sure to follow my updates on Forbes, Facebook, or YouTube for the latest news and reviews.