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| The GeForce RTX 5060 launched in April 2025 at a starting price of $299. |
If you've been waiting to buy a next-generation graphics card, brace yourself for a grim reality check. The GPU landscape, already challenging for consumers, is about to get significantly worse. What started as a rumor about specific models has exploded into a full-blown supply crisis for NVIDIA's RTX 50 series, with industry insiders now warning of sweeping production halts and imminent price hikes that could last for months.
From Model-Specific Rumors to a Full-Scale Supply Crisis
The situation ignited a few days ago when renowned YouTube channel Hardware Unboxed reported that NVIDIA was discontinuing the RTX 5070 Ti and the RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB. While NVIDIA and partners like ASUS quickly pushed back—particularly on the 5070 Ti claim—the market tells a different story. Both cards have become notoriously difficult to find at their original MSRPs, with retailer prices skyrocketing, a classic sign of severely constrained supply.
This initial controversy was just the tip of the iceberg. Now, trusted leaker Moore’s Law Is Dead (MLID) has released a bombshell report citing multiple sources within the distribution and retail chain, painting a dire picture for the entire RTX 50 lineup.
For a deeper dive into the initial findings, industry analysts have been dissecting the implications in videos like this one.
“Done for the Next 6 Months”: The RTX 5060 Disappears
According to MLID’s report, the problems go far beyond two models. A source identified as a “Distributor” claims that, based on conversations with Add-in-Board partners (AIBs like ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte), the mainstream RTX 5060 “is done for the next 6 months.”
The reason? A significant miscalculation on NVIDIA's part. The source alleges that NVIDIA has “overbooked” its AI chip supply, dedicating too much production capacity to its lucrative data center division. To compensate for this, the company has allegedly been forced to slash production of nearly its entire consumer RTX 50 series.
The “Distributor” source states that only three models will see any meaningful, though still limited, supply: the RTX 5070, RTX 5080, and the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB. The rest of the lineup, including the once-rumored-discontinued cards, will soon become “unobtanium.”
Retailers Confirm: No Relief Until Late 2026
This grim forecast is corroborated by a separate “Major Retailer” source in MLID’s report. This contact confirms that RTX 5060 supply is expected to worsen through Q3 2026, with NVIDIA only planning to “re-examine” the situation in Q4 2026. This effectively writes off widespread availability of this key mainstream GPU for the rest of the year.
Interestingly, this source adds that moving forward, the volume of NVIDIA's shipments will be dominated by the entry-level RTX 5050 and the beleaguered RTX 5060—whenever it returns—suggesting a strategic shift toward the lower end of the market.
AIBs Sound the Alarm: Price Hikes Are Incoming
The most alarming news comes from an AIB partner source. Not only is NVIDIA slashing supply, but it is also raising the prices of the Bill-of-Materials (BOM) kits it supplies to its partners. Furthermore, NVIDIA is reportedly only “effectively” providing chips for four models: the RTX 5080, RTX 5070, RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB, and RTX 5050.
The RTX 5060, they note, has been paused due to a combination of RAM availability issues and cost considerations.
The AIB source ended with a stark warning for consumers: expect a minimum price increase of 30% across the board, and imminently. This directly confirms recent reports from Taiwan indicating that major AIBs like MSI, ASUS, and Gigabyte are already preparing to raise prices on their RTX 50-series SKUs.
For those still hoping to find a card at a reasonable price, options are vanishing fast. You can check the current, but likely escalating, price for a model like the Asus Prime GeForce RTX 5060 on Amazon via this link, though be prepared for sticker shock.
The Bottom Line for Gamers and Builders
In short, the GPU market is entering a new phase of scarcity. Consumers are facing a perfect storm: severely limited supply for at least the next six months, coupled with substantial price increases on the few models that are available.
While there’s no word yet of similar cuts from AMD regarding its upcoming RDNA 4-based RX 9000 series, market dynamics are clear. With NVIDIA's RTX 50 series effectively off the table for many, demand will inevitably shift. This heightened demand for AMD's alternatives is almost certain to lead to sharp price hikes for RX 9000 cards as well, eliminating any hope of a competitive pricing sanctuary.
If you were planning a new build or an upgrade for late 2025 or early 2026, your best bet might be to act quickly on current-gen stock, prepare for a much higher budget, or simply brace for a long and expensive waiting game. The dream of easily accessible next-gen GPUs has been put on hold.
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| RTX 5060 production cut leak. |