RTX 50 Series Reality Check: UK Restocks Delayed, Flagships Still Vaporizing
Wish to lay your hands on a certain shiny new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 series graphics card? Well, the reality on the ground appears not to match up with the hype. The availability challenges seem perhaps far from reached, and if anything, looking slightly worse.
RTX 5070 Ti: Don't Hold Your Breath for a Quick Restock
Major reseller Overclockers UK just reported their initial allotment of the RTX 5070 Ti is gone. Vanished. Sold out on launch day. Not really surprising from the look of it. However, they anticipate a two to six weeks' wait until the next shipment. Yes, indeed-more than a month's wait to see these cards back apparently just on this one retailer's floor in the United Kingdom. The problem is likely not limited to just the UK.
RTX 5080 and 5090: Still a Ghost Story
The top-tier monsters, the RTX 5080 and 5090, remain elusive. Everywhere they are still out of stock. For those who do find them, the prices are eye-watering, far above the suggested MSRP. Availability is Extremely Limited.
Mid-Range Mayhem: RTX 5070 and 5060 Facing Delays
Adding to the issue, even mid-range cards are rumored to be having trouble. Performance debugging issues with the RTX 5070 and RTX 5060 are reported. This may result in potential delays of one month at most. The RTX 5070 was supposedly around the corner, with March 5th mentioned as a launch date. Now, it is late March, or perhaps even later. The RTX 5060 faces the same fate.
Earthquake Impact and Paper Launches: A Perfect Storm
Wafer supplies are reportedly impacted by the Taiwan earthquake. This will make an already tight situation even tighter. It feels like another wave of "paper launches" is upon us. Cards are announced but virtually impossible to buy at reasonable prices. Unfortunately, it is beginning to feel a lot like that.
AMD's Opportunity
Gamers eager to upgrade face frustration, premium prices, and diminishing supply. For NVIDIA, it is a definite PR concern. For AMD, this may be a golden window to grab serious market share in the mainstream GPU industry. If AMD can deliver availability and performance, it would be a massive win.
For now, if you are hunting for an RTX 50 series card, patience is key. Meanwhile, keep an eye on what AMD is developing.
