The DRAM shortage could also be to blame.
The new generation of GeForce graphics cards - the famous RTX 50 series - are about to celebrate their first anniversary. NVIDIA launched these cards on January 30 with the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080. Then, throughout the year, several models were released to reach more people with cheaper products: RTX 5070 Ti in February, RTX 5070 in March, RTX 5060 Ti in April, RTX 5060 in May and RTX 5050, finally, in June to round off this first salvo. "First salvo"? Yes, as early as September, several rumors announced the imminent arrival of a second wave, no doubt of "SUPER" models as NVIDIA is wont to do... unless...
Indeed, it would seem that the DRAM shortage that the tech world is experiencing has significantly reshuffled the cards. For example, Valve has yet to announce a precise date or price for its Steam Machine, which has to be priced right to stand any chance of success. The same goes for NVIDIA, which is not spared by DRAM supply difficulties, even if in its case we're talking more about GDDR6 and GDDR7 used for video memory, or VRAM. However, the problem remains the same: chips are becoming scarce and their cost is rising drastically, even for companies the size of NVIDIA, which therefore seems to be turning to a new strategy.
Future shortage of GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB in particular © VideoCardz
First of all, there's no longer any talk of "SUPER" cards, whose main interest would have been an increase in the amount of video memory. The next CES in Las Vegas (January 6-9) is unlikely to be packed with graphics card announcements. More embarrassingly, NVIDIA is said to have simply reviewed the video memory allocation of its products. In fact, rather than monopolizing 16 GB of VRAM on GPUs with low added value - at random, the GB206-300 on GeForce RTX 5060 Ti - NVIDIA has decided to give priority to the most powerful GPUs: it's simpler and more profitable to fit 16 GB of VRAM on a GeForce RTX 5080 at around 1,200 euros than on an RTX 5060 Ti at less than 600 euros.
In fact, there is every reason to believe - and the source of this information is none other than the very reliable Board Channel, quoted by the VideoCardz site - that production of GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, GeForce RTX 5070 and, even more so, GeForce RTX 5060 Ti graphics cards is set to be drastically reduced. Higher-end models will not be affected, and the card that should be hardest to find in the coming weeks is, unsurprisingly, the RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB VRAM version. A pity, as it was also one of the most interesting for PC gamers who didn't necessarily want to break the bank to indulge their passion.
