NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Performance Tested: Up to 11% Drop in Gaming Due to “Missing ROPs”

NVIDIA’s latest GeForce RTX 5080 series has come under scrutiny following reports of performance discrepancies attributed to “missing ROPs.”Recent gaming benchmarks indicate that in certain scenarios, users may experience performance reductions exceeding 10%.

Performance Impact of NVIDIA’s Missing ROPs: Analyzing the Blackwell GPU Series

The launch of NVIDIA’s RTX 50 Blackwell GPUs has not been without its complications. Numerous reports have surfaced regarding the “missing ROPs”across the models released, suggesting possible underlying issues with the Blackwell silicon architecture. Fortunately, the tech outlet Gamers Nexus has conducted testing on the GeForce RTX 5080 units exhibiting this defect. Their findings reveal performance variances, particularly pronounced in certain gaming titles like Total War: Warhammer 3.

According to the benchmarks performed by Gamers Nexus, performance dips can be as severe as 11% in the most affected titles, with other games generally depicting more modest single-digit losses. Notably, gamers who frequently engage with Total War: Warhammer 3 or Dying Light 2 should prepare for a significant dip in their frame rates, as these games are particularly susceptible to the performance fallout associated with the missing ROPs. While NVIDIA anticipates an average performance drop of around 4%, most titles align closely with this estimation, notwithstanding a few exceptions.

Benchmark results of NVIDIA's RTX 5080 showing performance drops

Additional benchmarking data for NVIDIA's RTX 5090

Despite the growing concerns, NVIDIA has remained largely silent regarding the “missing ROPs”issue, offering only generic statements to the media, which has led to mounting uncertainty among consumers. For those worried about potential deficiencies in their GPU, it is advisable to run diagnostic tools such as GPU-Z. If the reported ROP count is lower than expected, users should promptly reach out to their retailer or AIB manufacturer to arrange for a replacement.

However, given the precarious supply chain for RTX 50 series GPUs, securing a replacement could take weeks, if not months, depending on the responsiveness of board partners to this problem. Consequently, many consumers may need to continue using their affected units while hoping the issue does not escalate further. As for future releases, NVIDIA has assured users that subsequent models, such as the GeForce RTX 5070, will not face similar challenges.