Secrets Can't Be Kept: Gigabyte CEO Confirms NVIDIA's RTX 50 Graphics Card Distribution Strategy
While NVIDIA limits itself to general formulations, more and more evidence is emerging about the principles the company follows in the production of RTX 50.
A shortage of video memory forces NVIDIA to act as pragmatically as possible: the release of RTX 50-series video cards is now subject to the logic of maximizing profits. This strategy was effectively confirmed by Gigabyte CEO Eddie Lin in a conversation with Tom’s Hardware, explaining that the effectiveness of each model is assessed through the "revenue per gigabyte of memory" indicator.
"They can't produce only top-end or only budget cards. But, conditionally, out of five segments, they will focus on the first, third, and fifth, because the return per gigabyte is lower in the second and fourth."
Published calculations show that in the lower segment, the RTX 5060 with 8 GB of memory brings NVIDIA $37.38 of gross revenue per gigabyte, while the RTX 5060 Ti (8 GB) already brings $47.38. At the same time, the RTX 5060 Ti version with 16 GB of memory gives only $26.81 — the lowest figure in the line.
In the mid-range segment, the RTX 5070 (12 GB) provides $45.75 per gigabyte, while the RTX 5070 Ti (16 GB) provides $46.81. In older models, the difference becomes even more noticeable: the RTX 5080 (16 GB) brings $62.44 per gigabyte, and the RTX 5090 (32 GB) brings $62.47, but requires twice as much memory and is more expensive to produce.
This data indicates that the RTX 5060 Ti with 8 GB of memory and the RTX 5080 with 16 GB appear to be the highest priority for NVIDIA — they provide the optimal balance between memory capacity, cost, and profit.
Tom's Hardware journalists also asked NVIDIA itself to comment on rumors about the termination of production of individual models.
"Demand for GeForce RTX remains high, and memory supplies are limited. We continue to ship all models and are working with our suppliers to maximize memory availability."
The comment sounds like an attempt to smooth out growing concerns, but the totality of messages from partners and insiders indicates that a strategy adjustment is indeed taking place.
Earlier, the VideoCardz portal, citing sources from the Board Channels forum, reported that NVIDIA had optimized RTX 50 shipments, reallocating priorities in favor of more profitable models.
And Hardware Unboxed, citing ASUS, claimed that the release of the RTX 5070 Ti was suspended, and the supply volumes of the RTX 5060 Ti with 16 GB of memory were reduced. Later, ASUS stated that its words were "not understood correctly," but many observers doubted this, suggesting that the comment could have been adjusted under pressure from NVIDIA.
According to insiders from Board Channels, the RTX 5060 Ti with 8 GB of memory, RTX 5080, and RTX 5090 remain the highest priority RTX 50 models. The fate of the RTX 5070 remains uncertain.
