Retail Launch of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 FE Allegedly Postponed Until Late March

The excitement around the latest GPU releases is always palpable, but there are some hiccups we have to navigate this time. Although the official launch of the new GPU is set for tomorrow, those eyeing the Founders Edition will have to wait a bit longer, with availability not expected until late March.

In a recent twist, NVIDIA has decided to hold back the retail launch of the GeForce RTX 5070 FE just a little longer. This news didn’t come directly from NVIDIA’s official channels. Instead, gaming insider Andreas Schilling brought it to light after receiving an email from the company. While you might have seen early reviews hit the internet just a short time ago, those hoping to snag the GeForce RTX 5070 at launch will face disappointment as today’s planned retail debut has been postponed.

Schilling, who edits for Hardware Luxx, shared that this revelation reached him only a couple of hours before reviews became public. So, if you were planning on getting your hands on a Founders Edition RTX 5070 right away, you’re out of luck for now. This delay might also impact the availability of third-party versions, though many reports suggest the device will be hard to find in general.

Peeking into the chatter on Twitter, Andreas Schilling expressed his surprise at this sudden twist:
“You think you can buy a GeForce RTX 5070 Founders Edition tomorrow? No, NVIDIA told us 2 1/2 hours before review drop that it’ll be available later in March.”

This situation brings back memories of previous launches like the RTX 5090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5070 Ti that faced similar distribution issues. Although the reviews are out, showing performance on par with the RTX 4070 Super, the minimal generational improvements have got people talking. With a price tag of $549, it remains competitively priced, provided you can actually find it at MSRP.

Can’t find the RTX 5070 at a reasonable price? It might be wise to hold out for AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 GPUs. These contenders are set to launch just around the corner on March 6th, following reviews on the 5th. Starting at $599 for the XT and $549 for its counterpart, these cards seem well-positioned as direct rivals to the RTX 5070.

Why exactly there’s a delay with the RTX 5070’s release remains a mystery. Industry whispers hinted at performance bugs and supply chain niggles, but NVIDIA hasn’t laid out the specifics. Fortunately, while the Founders Edition is sidelined for a bit, you might still get lucky with custom AIB cards popping up globally. Retailers like B&H Photo Video recently listed them at the expected $549 for both standard and overclocked versions. But if prices soar past $600, you might want to sit it out until alternatives with comparable power are in play.