Nvidia Said to Scrap 24GB RTX 5080 Launch in China Over Costly Memory

Nvidia has reportedly dropped plans to launch a 24GB version of its GeForce RTX 5080 in China, with the memory configuration blamed for pushing the card's cost too high, according to supply-chain reports. The company is expected to continue producing the existing 16GB model, which the larger card had been rumored to replace.

The cancelled card would have paired the same graphics processor as the current RTX 5080 with eight 3GB GDDR7 memory chips instead of eight 2GB modules. Reports indicate each 3GB chip costs roughly three times as much as a 2GB chip, a gap that made the configuration difficult to price. Gizmochina cited an estimate placing the 24GB model near $2,000, about double the $999 US launch price of the 16GB Founders Edition, though Nvidia never announced an official price.

Earlier reports had pointed to a China release as soon as December 2026. Board partners were reportedly due to receive design and testing documents in October so they could prepare their own circuit boards and cooling systems, but the material had not arrived by the end of that month. The Chinese supply-chain forum Board Channels later said Nvidia had told partners the January launch was off without providing a new date. The reports concern the China launch, and Nvidia has not publicly confirmed the cancellation.

Availability of the 16GB card remains uneven in the US. Nvidia's marketplace lists the $999 Founders Edition as out of stock, while partner versions are priced at roughly $1,800 to $2,500. The 16GB model remains in Nvidia's lineup and is expected to stay in production.

Separately, MSI reportedly plans to raise distributor prices for some RTX 5080 cards in China by 1,300 to 8,000 yuan, or about $195 to $1,200. Wccftech estimates that some RTX 5080 cards could reach $3,000 at retail, a projection based on the reported increases rather than confirmed pricing.

The reports highlight how memory costs are shaping product decisions in the graphics card market, where rising component prices can quickly erode the viability of higher-capacity models. For buyers, the practical effect appears to be a continued focus on the 16GB RTX 5080 while partners adjust pricing.