Nvidia has confirmed that a small fraction of its new RTX 50 series graphics cards, including certain models of the RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti, are missing eight crucial ROP (Raster Operating Pipeline) units. This production anomaly, affecting less than 0.5% of AIB partner cards, leads to a performance drop of between 4% and 8% in games that heavily rely on ray tracing. Notably, Nvidia’s Founders Edition of the RTX 5090 remains unaffected by this issue.
The RTX 5090, the flagship of Nvidia’s Blackwell lineup, boasts advanced features like DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation for enhanced gaming performance. However, despite its cutting-edge technology and global sellouts on January 30, some consumer-purchased models from partners such as MSI, Zotac, Gigabyte, and Inno3D have been found with only 168 ROPs instead of the advertised 176. Affected users are advised to verify their unit’s specifications using programs like GPU-Z and contact their board manufacturers for an RMA or replacement.
Nvidia has stated that the issue has been corrected in future shipments, and they are urging customers to take advantage of the Verified Priority Access program, which aims to combat scalper markups by giving registered users a fair chance to purchase new stock at MSRP. This initiative comes as a welcome relief for many gamers still struggling with inflated prices for the RTX 5090, which has seen scalpers resell units for over $3,000.
Industry reactions have been mixed—while some users are disappointed by the glitch, others see Nvidia’s swift response as a sign of the company’s commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. With a strong focus on pushing the boundaries of gaming technology, Nvidia continues to refine its production processes to ensure that future generations of RTX 50 GPUs deliver the best possible experience for high-end PC enthusiasts.
