Nvidia’s upcoming RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 Ti have recently made an appearance in several iBUYPOWER gaming PCs. This marks the first instance of a U.S. retailer offering Nvidia’s RTX 50-series within their prebuilt systems. The specifications presented in these listings are intriguing, yet the performance metrics seem inconsistent. However, the pressing question remains: Where is the highly anticipated RTX 5090, the graphics card expected to outperform every current top-tier model?
Although the listings have since been removed, they were archived by VideoCardz. iBUYPOWER showcased a total of five systems, all featuring either the RTX 5080 or the RTX 5070 Ti. Both of these GPUs are reported to have 16GB of memory, with an announcement anticipated on January 6 during Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s keynote at CES 2025.
The manufacturer has been tight-lipped about detailed GPU specifications, though many details have already surfaced through leaks. The gaming PCs included both AMD and Intel processors; the former utilized the 7800X3D instead of the newer 9800X3D. At face value, these systems seem like conventional high-end gaming setups, but the recent listings have left me pondering more than ever.
To begin with, the performance figures provided by iBUYPOWER raise eyebrows. For example, one system reportedly achieved only 20 frames per second in Baldur’s Gate 3 at a resolution of 1440p—a figure that seems untenable for a rig of that caliber, assuming there are no underlying issues. As such, I’m inclined to treat these benchmarks as placeholders until the official announcement is made.
Get your weekly breakdown of the technology behind PC gaming
Next, let’s discuss pricing. A previously leaked listing for an RTX 5080-based PC suggested a total cost of around $3,600, which included an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU. This is quite steep, particularly when considering that a system featuring the RTX 5090 was listed at an astonishing $6,200. That being said, these prebuilt systems, which were briefly listed with a German retailer, don’t necessarily indicate that all similar desktops will carry such high price tags.
This brings me to my final query: Where is the RTX 5090? There have been recent rumors suggesting that the RTX 5090 may debut after the RTX 5080, with announcements expected soon. Moreover, it’s believed that the RTX 5090 will hit store shelves before the RTX 5070 Ti. It would have been great to see it showcase in a prebuilt computer. Hopefully, the absence of its listing is not due to it being too expensive or powerful for mainstream systems.
We’re just days away from uncovering more information about these developments. Stay tuned for updates on all the happenings at CES 2025, particularly concerning Nvidia’s keynote.
