NVIDIA has been busy with its AI chips in a world with rapidly increasing demand, to quench the thirst of heavily invested tech corporations. And as such, it may further reduce GeForce RTX 50 series GPU production to focus even more on its more profitable data center products. The launch of the GeForce RTX 50 series GPUs in January of 2025 was a bit odd in the sense that there were some serious shortages with its flagship products.
While top-tier GPUs are often in high demand, the absence of the GeForce RTX 5090 from store shelves early on pointed to other external factors occurring. My local Micro Center had only four units on launch day, compared to a healthy 150 units for the GeForce RTX 4090 launch. Stock levels have improved over the last two months, but NVIDIA may cut that joyride short for gamers with reduced production to keep MSRP prices where they currently sit.
To juxtapose GPUs with other popular products can be a jarring experiment. Take Apple for example, which sells millions of high-demand iPhones every year. While some delays occur, the pricing and availability are typically consistent and predictable for the lifetime of such product models. Not so with NVIDIA and AMD GPUs, such as the RTX 5090, which launched at an almost non-existent $1,999 MSRP.
Gamers are much more likely to pay well over $2,500 or $3,000 for this model, with pricing just recently going down slightly with better availability. That may not continue, though if NVIDIA reduces GeForce GPU production to keep hammering away at its AI machine.
There are rumors of a GPU refresh coming up which would include new Ti and Super GPUs such as an RTX 5070 Super. If NVIDIA is truly scaling back GeForce GPUs, we’re likely to see it with this refresh in the way of less available inventory for gamers.
How much of a reduction are we talking about? As spotted on Gazlog/Chiphell by WCCFTECH, its said total inventory levels may decrease by as much as 30%, which can mean higher prices are likely here to stay for the foreseeable future. Assuming the report is accurate, of course.