Nvidia has reportedly shelved the 24GB RTX 5080 because its 3GB memory chips cost about three times as much as the 2GB ones. That leaves the 16GB card as the top GeForce model- a setback for anyone who wants more video memory.
The claim comes from a post on Board Channels, a Chinese hardware forum. Notebookcheck, which reproduces the post, says Nvidia told its add-in board partners about the decision without giving a revised release window. VideoCardz ran the story with a headline that reads as a global cancellation. Notebookcheck limits it to China, and Nvidia hasn’t confirmed any of it.
The problem is memory. The 24GB card would have used eight 3GB GDDR7 modules in place of the eight 2GB chips on the current card. The 256-bit bus stays the same, so the gain is capacity alone. Notebookcheck says the 3GB modules reportedly cost about three times as much as the 2GB ones.
| RTX 5080 16GB | RTX 5080 24GB (reported) | |
|---|---|---|
| Memory | 16GB GDDR7 | 24GB GDDR7 |
| Bus | 256-bit | 256-bit |
| Modules | 8 x 2GB | 8 x 3GB |
| Status | Continues | Reportedly dropped for China |
Card prices are already high. Wccftech reports the RTX 5080 16GB climbed above $2,000 at some US retailers, vs a $999 list price. Tbreak has also covered the rumoured price rises for the RTX 5090.
Video memory is what local AI models, 4K ray tracing, and large game textures all lean on, and a 16GB ceiling caps what a card can load. For the creator side of that, how much memory local AI really needs on a Mac is a useful starting point.
Nvidia hasn’t said anything publicly, and it hasn’t given any new date yet. Notebookcheck reported in late October that Nvidia was speeding the 24GB card toward December 2026 or January 2027, while winding down the 16GB model. The timeline has already moved once.
A January launch looked doubtful before this report. BenchLife reported on 1 November that Nvidia hadn’t given board partners the design kits by the end of October, and Tbreak covered the delay then. Gazlog, a Japanese outlet, says shipments of a 24GB RTX 5080 SUPER sample have been held for the same cost reason, regardless of region. That makes a Japanese launch unlikely, and Nvidia hasn’t confirmed a worldwide cancellation.
VideoCardz has speculated about a CES announcement, with CES running from 6 to 9 January. According to Press Continue, a board partner told VideoCardz that a new card needs at least six weeks after design information.
