Nvidia is shaking things up with its GeForce RTX 50 series launch, prioritising the RTX 5080 launch over the flagship RTX 5090. While an exact release date remains unknown, multiple sources suggest a mid-January launch for the RTX 5080, with the RTX 5090 following in the next few weeks.

This shift in strategy marks a departure from previous generations, where the flagship model typically led the series launch. However, as reported by Wccftech, it looks like things will be different this time, with the RTX 5080 being the first RTX 50 series GPU to be released. According to the same report, this GPU will be available in mid-January.

Renowned leaker Kopite7kimi, who initially hinted at this release order in May, reiterated that the RTX 5080 will precede the RTX 5090. This suggests a deliberate strategy by Nvidia to prioritize the 5080's launch, potentially due to its anticipated strong price-to-performance ratio and appeal to a wider audience.

While the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 have been extensively leaked, their final specifications remain uncertain. Conflicting reports about the 5080's memory speed and potential adjustments to power consumption figures have surfaced (latest rumours pointing to 400W). As for the RTX 5090, initially, it has been suggested a 600W TGP, but the latest reports now claim it might be slightly lower. This highlights the confusion arising from the interchangeable use of terms like TGP (Total Graphics Power), TBP (Total Board Power), and TDP (Thermal Design Power) in early leaks.

Based on current information, the RTX 5090 is expected to feature the GB202-300 GPU with 21,760 CUDA cores and 32 GB of GDDR7 memory. The RTX 5080 will likely utilise the GB203-400 GPU with 10,752 CUDA cores and 16 GB of GDDR7 memory. With CES 2025 just weeks away, we expect Nvidia to shed more light on the RTX 50 series launch schedule and finalise the specifications of these GPUs.