NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Launch May Shift to March
NVIDIA seems to have changed its plans a bit regarding the anticipated February launch date of its GeForce RTX 5070. The rumor mill is abuzz with these seemingly mild changes. According to hearsay from the tech grapevine, it might be early March before this mid-range Blackwell card finds its way to the shelves. But why such pause? Something smells more than a mere scheduling change.
It Looks Like a Shift in Plans: Should It be Launched in March?
The buzz is that the RTX 5070 will come pretty soon in early March. Although NVIDIA has not announced any official dates for February beyond stating that it would happen in that month, it does raise questions. Something is wrong in the production floor. Are they stockpiling for a unified launch wave? Or is it something on a different level altogether?
AMD's Shadow Lurks: Not Including the RX 9070 Angle
Early March is when AMD is also expected to lift the curtains on its Radeon RX 9070 series GPUs. Coincidence? Maybe not. It's entirely plausible that NVIDIA is just keeping a low profile to launch their RTX 5070 as Windows the radiator effect at the startup of AMD's new things. This is like a tactical counter-move in the ongoing GPU chess game.
By aligning the RTX 5070 release with the RX 9070 debut, NVIDIA is looking to:
- Very Much Annoy AMD: Completely dominate the news and thus overshadow AMD's launch.
- Bring Performance into Direct Competition: Immediately initiate performance comparisons in mid-range territory.
- Influence Customer Choices: Present buyers with a direct choice between competing cards right at launch.
The RTX 5070 Specs and Pricing Whispers
Rumor has it that the RTX 5070, based on the GB205 die, will come with 12GB GDDR7 memory on a 192-bit bus. Performance rumors suggest that it may even rival performance under certain scenarios with the RTX 4090, though benchmarks in real time will prove this theory. MSRP is expected at $549. But then again, that is the elephant in the pricing reality room. Early hints for the higher-end RTX 5070 Ti point to prices significantly higher than MSRP, raising concerns about actual RTX 5070 availability and pricing at launch.
The Price Puzzle of the RTX 5070 Ti
Rumors about increased pricing by retailers have already started for the RTX 5070 Ti while it has not even been officially unleashed. Such foresighted practices, which have been noted for RTX 5090 and 5080, are worrying. Will the same fate befall the RTX 5070 during its launch day price hikes and stock limits? And since the launch of the RTX 5070 Ti happens to be the first Blackwell card that lacks a Founders Edition, it bears a traditional aspect that compels third-party sellers to stick to the set MSRP, something that has not been consistently happening.
Waiting Game: March and Mid-Range Warfare
Deliberately or not, the RTX 5070 delay has raised a very interesting theory in its favor. March will present a most appealing battle ground in the mid-range GPUs. Whether NVIDIA can maintain stock levels and MSRP pricing for the RTX 5070, and how it truly performs against AMD's RX 9070 series, still has to be seen. However, one thing is certain: the competition is growing hotter in the GPU market with consumers as the final possible victors.
Disclaimer: This article is largely based on the current rumors and speculations. Actual dates of launch, specifications, and features should be confirmed by NVIDIA and AMD.
