Once upon a time, the release of a new line of graphics cards from NVIDIA meant “take it – you won’t lose.” With the RTX 50, things are a bit more complicated – the hardware is fast, but the impressions are mixed. In this article, TechnoVisor will try to figure out what these cards are, who they are suitable for, and where all this talk about a scram project compared to the 40-series came from…
RTX 50 series family
RTX 50 is a generation based on the Blackwell architecture with new RT and Tensor cores, an updated video codec, and support for DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation (MFG). The first models, RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, were officially released in early 2025, followed by 5070 Ti, 5070, and the mid-range segment.
The RTX 5090 is the fastest graphics card of this generation. In reviews, it is ranked first in terms of pure performance, but not always by a margin of two, as in beautiful graphs with technologies like DLSS. In real-world tests without an upscale (meaning without a resolution increase), the increase over the 4090 is usually noticeable, but not revolutionary.
The RTX 5080 looks like a more reasonable alternative to the 5090 – a little more modest speed, but still great 4K and gorgeous 1440p. Compared to the RTX 4080 Super, the average increase in modern games is around 10-15%. At the same time, the power consumption is higher than that of the 4080S, which some people don’t like.
The RTX 5070 Ti is focused on 1440p with high frame rates. In mixed reviews, it was praised for its performance, but criticized for its price at launch and modest jump over the 4070 Ti without the magic of DLSS. It’s a strong card if you can get it without paying too much.
The regular RTX 5070 is often called “almost like a 4070 Super, but with DLSS 4”. For 1440p, it’s an okay choice, but if you look only at pure performance (without ray tracing), the increase over the previous model is insignificant, and 12 GB of memory raises questions in games with heavy textures. Several well-known publications have written directly about the moderate upgrade and the imperfect price.
The RTX 5060 Ti 16GB is a good option for 1080p and many 1440p projects. The new generation of memory helps even without an upgrade, and discounts make it even more interesting. From time to time, there are offers significantly below the recommended price.
So why do some gamers say it’s a “scam”?
First of all, there is a clear discrepancy between marketing claims and actual capabilities.
NVIDIA’s promises of up to 2x FPS are based on DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation, which is when the AI simply draws additional frames. This technology significantly improves smoothness and reduces load, but it’s not a pure, true gain from the chip itself.
Secondly, prices at the start.
At the beginning of sales, models of the upper and middle segments were sold above the recommended price. For many people, this spoiled their first impression, and the existing negative opinion became even stronger, because in fact, “you pay more and get little.” Over time, the market has cooled down a bit, but the residue has remained.
Third, energy consumption.
Some people were expecting the same speed at lower watts. Instead, for example, the RTX 5080 has a higher TGP (maximum power draw) in many specifications than the 4080 Super. In everyday life, this is not always critical, but for owners of small cases or power supplies, it is an argument against upgrading.
And the fourth reason is the problems of the first batches. Certain video cards (5090/5070 Ti) had a rare factory defect (a shortage of one of the rendering units). NVIDIA fixed this in new shipments and agreed to replace them, but even the very existence of such defects only increased skepticism about the entire series.
Who will really benefit from the upgrade
There is no doubt that for RTX 20/30 owners, the transition to the 50-series will significantly improve their comfort in complex games, especially if they use DLSS 4 with frame generation – 100% will get both smoothness and better picture with raytracing. There is no doubt about it.
Owners of the 40-series should think carefully. For example, if you have a 4090/4080S and play at 1440p without an upscale, then the increase from the new series is unlikely to impress. And for those who have 4070/4070S, the logic is that 5070/5070 Ti will add a little more FPS, but in the absence of a favorable price, the point of upgrading is not always obvious.
Choose without mistakes
- Your monitor and resolution. If you want 4K with RT, take a look at 5080/5090. And 1440p with high frequency – then 5070/5070 Ti. 1080p on ultra settings – 5060 Ti.
- Are you ready for technology? If you’re fine with DLSS 4/MFG, you’ll get more free FPS, and if you’re not playing without an update, you’ll want to look for native performance tests.
- Power supply and case. For top-end cards, it is advisable to have a margin of wattage and good airflow. Sometimes upgrading a PSU will be more expensive than expected.
- Market and discounts. In the mid-range price segment, prices are constantly changing and very unstable, so it’s the discounts that make the 5060 Ti/5070 models really profitable. Don’t rush to buy the first option you see.
To summarize the article, we can say with certainty that RTX 50 is not a failure at all, but a really powerful generation with various useful features. At the same time,
To put it simply, take your time. Decide on your resolution, watch a few live tests (without an upscale), calculate your budget, and try to catch a discount. Looking at the situation from this angle, the 50-series will really live up to expectations. But changing a 4070 Super for a 5070 just to be newer is a dubious idea. It’s better to save up for something significantly faster or wait for the next big leap, perhaps with the RTX 60-series…
