NVIDIA RTX 5080 24GB Reportedly Cancelled Over Cost Of GDDR7 Memory

NVIDIA reportedly cancelled plans to launch the RTX 5080 24GB graphics card early next year, according to discussions on Chinese Board Channels forums. The company informed add-in board partners that they will no longer proceed with the variant, opting instead to revert to the current 16GB model. The reason for this alleged cancellation is the high cost of 3GB GDDR7 memory chips, which would have been required for the 24GB configuration.

Compared to the 16GB model that currently uses 2GB chips, the 24GB version would have utilized 3GB modules to create its new graphics memory pool. These 3GB GDDR7 chips currently cost three times more than their 2GB counterparts, making it challenging for NVIDIA to manufacture and sell the card at an acceptable price for consumers.

Consequently, NVIDIA will retain the 16GB model as the standard offering. This move represents a significant U-turn for the company, given the earlier excitement surrounding the RTX 5080 24GB launch. Rumors of the RTX 5090 discontinuation had also surfaced but have since been refuted by the company. The rumors of the RTX 5080 24GB shipping out sometime in the first quarter of 2027 also came to light, but board partners had not received design kits for this variant, casting doubt on the January 2027 launch timeline.

Additionally, the company is currently grappling with the scandal involving its CEO, Jensen Huang, and an alleged Chinese spy, Alice Huang.