I hope you managed to find the right GPU at the right price in 2025, because a new report suggests that NVIDIA plans to significantly cut production of its RTX 50-series graphics cards in 2026.
This news began on China's tech forum Bobantang and was picked up by Benchlife and eventually OC3D. The report alleges that NVIDIA plans to "adjust GPU production capacity of GeForce RTX 50 series graphics cards in 2026 to cope with memory shortages." Just how much of a reduction? Compared to the first half of 2025, supply could be reduced by anywhere from 30-40%.
That's not an insignificant reduction, and I can't see how the ramifications won't be felt throughout the tech industry.
It's not just GDDR7 memory — the stuff that goes into RTX 5000 cards — causing issues, either. The report suggests that all memory types are being squeezed enough to cause a shift in production.
According to Benchlife, "a number of AIC partners and component suppliers have also mentioned" that the RTX 5070 Ti and the RTX 5060 Ti, each with 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM, will be the first to see a cut to production.
If true, that's some terrible news for PC gamers. GPUs with 8GB of VRAM are on the edge of being "not enough" to play demanding modern titles, and the 16GB GPU options drying up will make it more difficult to get the performance you desire without spending huge money on an RTX 5080 or RTX 5090.
Get the Windows Central Newsletter
All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.
Notably, the report makes no mention of NVIDIA's RTX PRO GPUs. These specialized cards are coveted by data scientists, creators, engineers, developers, AI professionals, and more. They come at a much higher price compared to the consumer RTX 50-series GPUs, and I wouldn't be surprised to see NVIDIA continue to feed GDDR7 into the production lines to maximize profits.
The memory crisis is only getting started
Micron will no longer be making Crucial RAM and storage products as the company pivots to supplying AI. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)
This NVIDIA news comes on the heels of several high-profile stories focusing on the RAM shortage.
Cale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than nine years of experience writing about laptops, PCs, accessories, games, and beyond. If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware, there’s a good chance he knows about it, has written about it, or is already busy testing it.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
