Nvidia's RTX 5080, 5070 Ti, and 5060 Ti GPUs are now joining the RTX 5090 in Chinese conversion labs, where they're being transformed into blower-style designs for AI workloads. The practice, first reported for the flagship RTX 5090, has expanded across Nvidia's current generation lineup according to Wccftech and VideoCardz sources. These RTX 50-series cards were originally designed with gaming features like DLSS 4.5 with 6x frame generation in mind.
Chinese workshops remove GPU chips and VRAM from standard PCBs, then redeploy them on new boards with blower coolers optimized for server deployment. These modified cards feature power connectors on the right edge for multi-GPU setups and exhaust heat through the I/O bracket, making them suitable for dense AI server racks.
The RTX 5090 32GB variant sells for approximately $4,150 in converted form, while the RTX 5080 reaches $1,300 and RTX 5070 Ti around $1,100. The RTX 5060 Ti 16GB represents the entry point at $573, according to Wccftech pricing data from Chinese marketplaces.
This conversion trend coincides with Nvidia reportedly delaying its RTX 50 Super refresh indefinitely. Sources from Digital Trends and PCMag indicate the company has told board partners not to expect RTX 5080 Super, 5070 Ti Super, or 5070 Super models anytime soon.
Memory shortages and rising DRAM prices are forcing Nvidia to prioritize AI hardware over gaming GPUs, according to Notebookcheck and PCMag reports. The company's data center business generates billions while consuming GDDR7 production capacity that would otherwise supply consumer graphics cards.
Current RTX 5000 series inventory faces extreme shortages with pricing climbing from the RTX 5090 down through the RTX 5060 Ti. Digital Trends sources suggest Nvidia will implement a full-scale price increase after February 2026, potentially raising baseline costs even if stock improves.
The RTX 5070 remains available at $549 for select Asus models on Amazon, while the RTX 5070 Ti sees custom pricing around $830 instead of its $749 MSRP. Gamesradar notes the RTX 5080 currently costs more than the previous-generation RTX 4090, reflecting the challenging market.
AMD currently has no consumer GPUs on tap for 2026 and is not exerting competitive pressure, according to PCMag analysis. The company's Radeon RX 9070 XT performs well but cannot match the RTX 5080, let alone the 5090, while AMD also shifts focus toward data center opportunities.
Gamers seeking upgrades face limited options between scarce current-gen inventory, delayed Super refreshes, and converted AI hardware draining supply. The situation leads Gamesradar's Phil Hayton to feel 'the stage is being set for an unaffordable year in gaming PC land' with traditional upgrade cycles disrupted.
Nvidia's CES 2026 presentation lacked Super series announcements that some enthusiasts had expected, following earlier rumors of Q1 2026 launches. The company did showcase DLSS 4.5 with 6x frame generation at the event, but with memory constraints and AI demand shaping production decisions, the RTX 5000 series may remain Nvidia's primary consumer lineup until RTX 6000 arrives in late 2027.
