The excitement surrounding tomorrow’s official GPU launch is palpable, but if you’re keen on getting your hands on the Founders Edition, you’ll need to exercise a little patience until late March.
NVIDIA’s decision to postpone the retail release of the GeForce RTX 5070 FE has set tongues wagging. Though not publicly confirmed by NVIDIA, well-known tech journalist Andreas Schilling shared that NVIDIA informed him of the delay via email. Reviews for the RTX 5070 are already trickling in, with the retail release initially set for tomorrow now postponed.
According to Schilling, NVIDIA reached out just a few hours before the review embargo was lifted with the news. For those eyeing the Founders Edition, it means you won’t be able to snag one just yet. There’s still uncertainty about whether this delay affects the retail availability of partner-manufactured editions. Based on previous reports about stock levels, it seems the availability of the GPU may be limited.
In an insightful tweet, Schilling remarked, “You think you can buy a GeForce RTX 5070 Founders Edition tomorrow? No, NVIDIA told us 2 1/2 hours before review drop: ‘The RTX 5070 Founders Edition will be available later in March.'”
This scenario hints at a potential paper launch for the RTX 5070, similar to what happened with the RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5070 Ti. Various sources have already weighed in with reviews showing the RTX 5070 performing on par with the RTX 4070 Super. While it doesn’t represent a massive leap over previous generations, its performance slightly surpasses the RTX 4070 Super, making the $549 price point reasonable.
For those struggling to find the RTX 5070 at the manufacturer’s suggested retail price, waiting for AMD’s alternatives might be wise. The Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 are gearing up for a launch on March 6th, with reviews expected the day before. Pricing for these cards is set at $599 and $549, respectively, positioning the RX 9070 as a direct contender against the RTX 5070.
The reasons behind the RTX 5070’s scarce availability remain unclear. There have been murmurs about potential bugs hindering its performance and supply hiccups with the chips, but NVIDIA hasn’t addressed these speculations.
Although the Founders Edition release is pushed back, there is hope that custom versions from other brands will be available globally. Some listings have surfaced at retailers like B&H Photo Video, quoting a $549 price for both standard and overclocked editions. If the cost for a custom version climbs above $600, it might be wise to explore other options, particularly in regions where similarly powerful GPUs are scarce.
