This week is a wake up call to U.S. buyers hoping to get their hands on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080. Prices on the shelf are close to double the initial price it launched with. That's a lot to swallow for PC gamers.
Prices have doubled in two months
With these higher prices the mid-range flagship has effectively become a luxury. The cost vs. benefit of the new architecture is something the consumer has to weigh.
All the major board makers are impacted including Gigabyte, MSI, PNY, Asus and more. A scan of U.S. retailers on Oct. 28 shows that even the lowest-end new models are priced at $1,980 and up. That's crazy because with those prices the RTX 5080 is now competing with the RTX 5090 which is typically much more expensive.
Micro Center shows the lowest-end new models like the Gigabyte Windforce SFF OC and MSI Suprim Liquid SOC at $1,979.99 for local pickup. Best Buy has PNY Triple Fan OC online at $1,999.99. Higher-end models like the Asus ROG Astral OC are $2,079.99. The lower-end Asus Prime OC is a whopping $2,349.99.
That's about $800 more than it cost just two months ago when the card first launched. Nvidia hasn't come out with any explanation why there is such a big price jump. It also isn't clear when prices will come back to more normal levels. It's a very uncertain market.
The GeForce RTX 5080 is almost as expensive as the top-end RTX 5090. That's the opposite of the usual product hierarchy but it means there's a big temporary supply/demand problem or disruption. So the question is whether it's worth paying a premium for the RTX 5080 now or waiting for things to sort themselves out.
Source: NotebookCheck
Prices doubled in two months is insane. I paid $999 at launch. Now it is nearly $2,000. This makes the 5090 look like a bargain by comparison. The mid range flagship is now a luxury item.
Is it actually worth buying one right now or should I wait for the supply issues to fix themselves? The $800 hike is too steep for me.
Wait. The article says Nvidia has not explained the surge. Prices could stay high. You are better off holding cash until the market stabilizes.
msi suprim liquid is almost two grand 😅 crazy times
Board partners are pricing based on scarcity not performance. The 5080 competes with the 5090 now. That breaks the normal product hierarchy. It is a temporary disruption but painful for buyers.
Asus Prime OC at $2,349 is ridiculous. That is more than the ROG Astral. Lower tier models costing more is a supply chain anomaly.