Nvidia's 50-series GPUs are under intense pricing controversy, with MSI quietly overpricing the just-released RTX 5070 Ti GPU. The reports indicated that some of them went as high as over $1,000—well beyond Nvidia's official $749 MSRP.
Although third-party vendors usually set their own prices, consumer criticism has pushed MSI to make some price changes. The company has now dropped the RTX 5070 Ti 16G Vanguard SoC to $920, though still way above Nvidia's recommended retail price.
Nvidia's 50-Series Troubled by Pricing Problems
Since its Feb. 20 release, the RTX 5070 Ti has been positioned as a mid-range option for gamers who cannot get their hands on high-end versions such as the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090. According to Digital Trends, the price increases by MSI, however, have irritated PC enthusiasts seeking affordable GPU options.
What's more, the price hike is justified by the company with custom retailer-only branding that entails subtle hardware modifications such as increased clock speeds.
Special edition models of the RTX 5070 Ti are still retailing far in excess of MSRP, including:
- RTX 5070 Ti 16G Shadow 3X: $820
- RTX 5070 Ti 16G Vanguard SoC: Initially $1,000, now $920
In another report by TweakTown, it was confirmed that a retailer has a bold claim about the Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU. The Swedish retailer said that it had no stock of such video cards at the time.
RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 Also Suffer Skyrocketing Prices
MSI's aggressive pricing isn't limited to the RTX 5070 Ti. Other Nvidia 50-series GPUs, such as the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090, are also seeing inflated costs due to high demand and limited stock. Scalpers and low availability have made it difficult for gamers to purchase these GPUs at fair prices.
Even though Nvidia's RTX 5080 debuted at an MSRP of $1,000 and the RTX 5090 at $2,000, MSI raised prices dramatically:
- RTX 5080 Ventus 3X: $1,140
- RTX 5080 Suprim Liquid SoC: $1,500
- RTX 5090 Ventus 3X: $2,400
- RTX 5090 Suprim Liquid SoC: $2,800
MSI's pricing strategy has drawn criticism, particularly as some of its RTX 5070 Ti models are now priced similarly to the more powerful RTX 5080 Founders Edition. With Nvidia's 50-series launch already plagued by availability issues, the ongoing price inflation could push budget-conscious gamers toward alternative brands or previous-generation GPUs.
Maybe we need to wait for the March 5 launch of GeForce RTX 5070, where a $549 GPU will do a slight justice in terms of pricing, according to Videocardz.
If you just want to play games with a good and updated graphics card, settling for the RTX 5070 is the more practical approach you need to take. You can save $200 by purchasing the simpler GPU variant.
Of course, not all PC gamers are waiting for this moment. The $549 price segment will be much more challenging since scalpers could interfere with the free-flowing market.
By now, you should know that you can pre-order AMD/XFX cards at MSRP through Chinese e-commerce platforms. Still, it will boil down to the early reviews if the majority will buy one of the most coveted GPUs right now.
