NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 FE Launch Pushed to Late March 2024 for Retail Availability

Although the launch of the GPU is set for tomorrow, the Founders Edition will not be available for sale until late March.

NVIDIA Postpones GeForce RTX 5070 FE Retail Release to Late March

NVIDIA has announced a delay in the retail launch of the GeForce RTX 5070 Founders Edition (FE).This update was conveyed through an email to Andreas Schilling, as he reported, despite no formal statement from NVIDIA being issued. The anticipated retail launch was originally scheduled to coincide with the recent lifting of the reviews embargo for the RTX 5070.

According to Schilling, he received the notification just hours before the reviews were made public. Consequently, if you intend to purchase the Founders Edition of the GeForce RTX 5070, it appears your plans may need to be adjusted. It remains uncertain whether the delay will also impact the launch dates for third-party Add-In Board (AIB) editions, but recent reports hint at a broader scarcity of GPUs in the market.

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.”pic.twitter.com/8BntkzNc7T

— Andreas Schilling 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@aschilling) March 4, 2025

This situation raises concerns of a potential “paper launch, ”reminiscent of previous releases such as the RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5070 Ti. Reviews of the RTX 5070 published by various tech outlets indicate performance on par with the RTX 4070 Super. While the GPU does not offer significant generational advancements, it stands slightly above the RTX 4070 Super at a price of $549, which could still justify its cost for consumers.

For those unable to secure the RTX 5070 at its Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), it may be wise to consider the Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 models. Set to debut on March 6, with reviews available a day prior, these graphics cards are priced at $599 for the XT variant and $549 for the non-XT counterpart, positioning the RX 9070 as a direct rival to the RTX 5070.

The unavailability of the GeForce RTX 5070 seems to stem from undisclosed issues. In discussions from a few weeks ago, rumors suggested performance bugs and supply chain challenges related to the GPU chips. However, NVIDIA has not officially confirmed these claims.

Despite the delay affecting the Founders Edition, there is hope that AIB custom editions will still hit the market in various regions. Recently, retailers such as B&H Photo Video listed both base and overclocked models at the MSRP of $549. If AIB versions exceed $600, it may be prudent to refrain from purchasing, unless alternatives of similar power are unavailable in your area.

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