[News] NVIDIA Reportedly Pivots to 8GB RTX 5060 amid Memory Crunch, Older GPUs Back in Play

While NVIDIA’s Rubin steals the spotlight at CES, the AI chip giant may be quietly reshaping its GPU lineup. Reports from Wccftech, citing VideoCardz and BoardChannels, reveal that amid VRAM shortages, NVIDIA is pivoting the RTX 50 series supply: ramping up GeForce RTX 5060 and 5060 Ti 8 GB models while cutting back sharply on 16 GB variants.

The reports indicate NVIDIA plans to prioritize the RTX 5060 8 GB, which is expected to dominate supply, while the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB will also see increased production. In contrast, output of the higher-end RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB and RTX 5070 Ti 16 GB is set to be slashed.

RTX 5060 series Prioritized Instead of Higher-end Models

As highlighted by Wccftech, amid the ongoing memory crunch, GPU prices across the board are on the rise. To cope, NVIDIA is refocusing production on the RTX 5060 series and AI-oriented chips, further tightening supply for the broader consumer gaming market, the report adds.

According to Board Channels, cited by Wccftech, this shift means scaling back high-end 16 GB models like the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5060 Ti, which rely on 16 GB GDDR7 memory, while ramping up the more accessible RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB and RTX 5060 8 GB cards—each needing just four VRAM modules instead of eight.

By prioritizing the 8 GB models, NVIDIA aims to keep a steady supply for partners across regional markets, Wccftech notes, adding the company is ramping up production of its older RTX 3060 8 GB GPUs to meet demand in entry-level markets as well.

GPU Price Hike Warning Persists

However, Wccftech warns that prices may continue climbing in the months ahead. According to the report, the RTX 5090 now rarely sells below US$3,500 on Newegg, with many units approaching US$5,000. The RTX 5080, meanwhile, trades above US$1,200, while the RTX 5070 Ti has climbed past US$830.

The report also notes that most RTX 5070 and RTX 5060 Ti cards have now returned to MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price), after being available below MSRP throughout Q4 2025. Experts cited by Wccftech warn that with the ongoing VRAM shortage and limited memory production capacity, elevated GPU prices are likely to persist at least until late 2027 or early 2028.

According to Kbench and Newsis, AMD may begin rolling out price increases from January 2026, while NVIDIA is said to be preparing similar moves starting in February. Kbench adds that soaring demand for memory in AI data centers has overwhelmed supply, pushing prices of GDDR7 and GDDR6 up by several hundred percent within months. The outlet further notes that memory now makes up more than 80% of the total bill of materials (BOM) for GPUs.

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(Photo credit: NVIDIA)