NVIDIA has reportedly dropped plans for a 24GB GeForce RTX 5080, a higher-memory version that was expected to launch in China in January 2027. The reported decision follows steep costs and supply constraints for 3GB GDDR7 modules. The existing 16GB model is now expected to remain in production, though Nvidia has not publicly confirmed the change.
Key takeaways
- The 24GB RTX 5080 was reportedly planned for a January 2027 launch in China.
- Its eight 3GB GDDR7 modules would provide 24GB of memory, up from 16GB on the current card.
- Reports say Nvidia has told board partners to halt the launch plan, citing the cost of 3GB modules.
- Neither the 24GB model nor its reported cancellation has been publicly confirmed by Nvidia.
Why the 24GB model was reportedly dropped
The reported information, attributed to Chinese industry outlet Board Channels, says Nvidia notified add-in-board partners that the planned launch would not proceed. No replacement date has been reported. The proposed card would have used eight 3GB GDDR7 chips instead of the current RTX 5080’s eight 2GB chips, increasing capacity without changing the memory interface configuration.
According to the report, 3GB modules cost roughly three times as much as 2GB equivalents. That price difference could make the upgraded card difficult to sell at a level Nvidia considers commercially viable. With memory supply also described as constrained, the company may have opted to continue using the less expensive modules instead.
What happens to the RTX 5080 16GB
The 16GB RTX 5080 had previously been rumored to be nearing the end of production as Nvidia prepared to replace it with the 24GB version. The latest reports instead indicate that the current model will remain in the lineup and that board partners can continue producing cards with 2GB GDDR7 chips.
The reported reversal could matter to buyers facing limited availability and high prices for high-end graphics cards. It does not, however, guarantee steady supply or more affordable retail pricing; those depend on production and market conditions beyond the memory configuration.
What the extra memory could have meant
For gaming, additional VRAM does not automatically translate into higher frame rates, and the rumored 24GB card was not expected to bring a major GPU redesign. Its larger capacity could have been more useful for memory-intensive workloads, including some AI models and content-creation tasks, where fitting more data into graphics memory can make a practical difference.
The same expensive modules have also featured in rumors about future RTX 50-series refreshes, including Super models. The reported setback raises questions about those plans, but it is not proof that other products have been canceled. For now, the 24GB RTX 5080 story remains unconfirmed, and Nvidia has not announced a replacement model or launch schedule.
Via Videocardz