Say goodbye to the RTX 5070 Ti — NVIDIA restructures its GPU production as AI-driven memory shortages worsen, and the 16GB card doesn’t make the cut

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It’s becoming clear that artificial intelligence is now prioritized over everyday consumers. A recent example of this is the NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti graphics card, which has been delayed or potentially cancelled as manufacturers focus on providing memory for AI datacenters.

The 16GB Blackwell GPU, which has been a favorite among users due to its large memory and excellent performance, is now becoming hard to find. NVIDIA’s manufacturing partners are reporting difficulties getting enough of these GPUs to meet demand.

Hardware Unboxed gathered information from multiple graphics card manufacturers and retailers after the CES 2026 show to better understand the current issues with GPUs.

Hardware Unboxed points out that stores haven’t received any official notice the RTX 5070 Ti is being discontinued. However, when speaking directly with those stores, it’s become apparent that graphics card manufacturers aren’t shipping any new units for them to sell.

This recent news confirms what I was hearing back in December – that NVIDIA anticipates potential production cuts for the RTX 50-series cards around 2026, likely due to memory constraints. Initially, the estimated reduction was around 30-40%, but it now seems the situation could be significantly more severe.

The biggest news is that NVIDIA has discontinued the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. ASUS, a major NVIDIA partner, confirmed they’re stopping production due to a supply shortage. Any 5070 Ti cards you see in stores now are the last ones they’ll be making. ASUS is now focusing its efforts on producing other graphics card models that will continue to be available.

Hardware Unboxed

Recent online discussions suggested NVIDIA was shifting its production to prioritize 8GB versions of its upcoming RTX 50-series graphics cards, like the RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti. However, it now seems this information isn’t entirely accurate.

NVIDIA is reportedly changing how it makes graphics cards, focusing on models with specific amounts of memory. According to a report from Hong Kong-based HKEPC, the company will prioritize making the 8GB RTX 5060 Ti and the 16GB RTX 5080. While details are still unknown for the 12GB RTX 5070, production of the RTX 5090 will continue as planned.

This new focus means the 16GB RTX 5060 Ti and RTX 5070 Ti are likely to become outdated quickly. If you already own one of these graphics cards, it’s worth holding onto it as long as possible. There’s a lot of debate about how much VRAM gamers will need in 2026, but generally, the more VRAM, the better your gaming experience will be.

The RTX 5070 Ti, originally priced at $749, is currently experiencing price increases at many stores. While some models are still available on Newegg for around $830, most are selling for $1,250 or even more.

The recently released 16GB RTX 5060 Ti, originally priced at $429, is experiencing price increases. While some versions are still available for around $490 at Newegg, most retailers are now selling it for $530 or more.

NVIDIA’s Blackwell SUPER cards have been postponed indefinitely

NVIDIA typically releases ‘SUPER’ versions of its graphics cards around a year after the original launch. While rumors started in November 2025 about potential memory supply issues impacting the RTX 50 SUPER cards, Hardware Unboxed has now reported that these updated cards have been delayed with no new release date set.

If memory prices were to decrease later this year—which is unlikely—NVIDIA might reconsider launching its next generation of products, originally planned for release at CES 2026.

Currently, NVIDIA’s laptop graphics cards haven’t experienced the same limitations as some other products, but I anticipate a future lineup in 2026 that focuses heavily on budget and premium options, with fewer choices in the middle range.

NVIDIA seems to be concentrating on a high-end, expensive RTX 5080 as their only graphics card with 16GB of memory, which could leave many PC gamers disappointed. Are you considering switching to AMD or Intel instead? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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2026-01-15 18:11