NVIDIA has canceled the 24 GB version of the RTX 5080. This was scheduled to come with 24 GB GDDR7 memory. This move is in response to avoiding a potential price increase and ensuring the 16 GB standard RTX 5080 remains the primary choice for high-end PC gaming.
NVIDIA cancels the 24 GB RTX 5080 due to expensive memory modules
The reasoning behind this is that issues in the GDDR7 memory component market led to the expensive redesign of this version that would have made the 24 GB model too expensive for most. We've seen how similar memory price problems have affected the RTX 50 SUPER series as well. This is indicative of how supply chain problems are affecting the current generation of GPUs. This means that if you're looking for a high-end GPU, the 16 GB model will be the primary offering without a much more expensive option interfering with the market.
The RTX 5080 is still going forward as planned. It will have the 16 GB GDDR7 setup. It will have standard 2 GB memory chips per memory module.
NVIDIA has canceled the 24 GB RTX 5080 model. This would have needed rare 3 GB GDDR7 memory modules. These would have been too costly and rare to make.
Canceling this version means there's only the 16 GB version as the high-end option in this product segment. There is no split that would have been there had they launched it in both versions. This ensures a more manufacture-friendly option that fits with the current memory market conditions.
The 24 GB RTX 5080 version that was canceled and the 16 GB RTX 5080 version that will be made differ in the memory module architecture. The 24 GB version would have needed 3 GB per memory chip for the higher capacity. This is a non-standard memory chip size for the RTX 50 line.
The 16 GB version has the standard 2 GB per chip option that's readily available. This makes manufacturing easier and cheaper. That's why the 24 GB version is susceptible to high prices and the 16 GB version isn't. This demonstrates how memory chip sizes can impact whether or not a GPU variant is viable.
The canceled 24 GB RTX 5080 version was rumored to be released at a price close to $2000. This would have made the price of this version much higher than the 16 GB version. It's been reported that MSI is increasing prices of existing RTX 5080 GPUs by up to $1200 because of this situation.
The details aren't fully confirmed on which models. The price for the 16 GB version will be lower and more in reach for the average high-end user. These price changes show how component prices affect retail strategies for graphics cards. The 24 GB version isn't being released because of the high price that it would be hard for most to justify.
NVIDIA will be moving forward with the 16 GB version of the RTX 5080 as their main product. The 24 GB version has been canceled. This makes product plans more stable and cuts out the high costs of rare memory chips.
Gamers and PC builders can expect the 16 GB version to be the only high-end option in this category. This is a logical move based on reality with the supply chain instead of affecting performance goals. So the only version coming in the near future is the RTX 5080 16 GB.
Good riddance. I never wanted to spend two grand on a graphics card anyway. The 16 GB model is plenty for gaming.