NVIDIA has officially acknowledged a manufacturing defect in a small percentage of its RTX 50-series GPUs. The affected models include the RTX 5090, RTX 5090D, and RTX 5070 Ti, where the GPUs feature fewer ROPs than the official specifications.
While the defect impacts less than 0.5% of the cards produced, it results in a measurable performance loss in graphics-related tasks. AI and compute workloads remain unaffected by the issue.
Table of Contents:
Which Models Are Affected?
According to NVIDIA’s official specifications and community reports, the correct ROP counts and affected models are:
| Model | Official ROP Count | Defect Description | Performance Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTX 5090 | 176 | Some units ship with 175 ROPs | ~4% drop |
| RTX 5090D | 160 | Missing one ROP | ~3-4% drop |
| RTX 5080 | 112 | Users report cards with only 104 ROPs | Up to 12% drop |
| RTX 5070 Ti | 96 | Lower ROP count detected in some samples | ~4% drop |
- Source 1: PC Gamer – The curious tale of the missing ROPs in RTX 50-series cards
- Source 2: Tom’s Hardware – RTX 5080 with missing ROPs hits 12% performance loss
How to Check if Your GPU Is Affected
Owners of RTX 50 graphics cards can verify their GPU’s ROP count using diagnostic tools like GPU-Z:
- Download and install GPU-Z.*
- Run the software and check the “ROP” field.
- Compare the reported count with the official specifications above.
If the count is lower than expected, NVIDIA recommends contacting your card’s manufacturer for a replacement.
*GPU-Z requires an official NVIDIA driver to accurately count the ROP units.
NVIDIA’s Response and Consumer Options
NVIDIA has halted production of the affected batches and corrected the manufacturing process. The company urges customers with defective cards to:
- Contact their card manufacturer for a free replacement.
- Refer to NVIDIA’s support page for warranty and return information.
While the defect affects a small percentage of units, the company acknowledges the frustration experienced by early adopters.
Broader Context: Recent NVIDIA Hardware Issues
This incident adds to a series of recent challenges with NVIDIA’s high-end cards, including:
- Launch-day driver bugs affecting game stability.
- Reports of melting power connectors under extreme load conditions.
While NVIDIA has been quick to address these issues, the pattern has raised concerns among PC enthusiasts.
Final Thoughts
While the missing ROPs issue affects a relatively small portion of RTX 50-series cards, the potential for a 4-12% performance drop is significant for high-end users. NVIDIA’s transparency and commitment to replacing defective units is commendable, but the incident brought up the importance of thorough quality control, especially for flagship GPUs.
For now, gamers who bought, or seeks to buy the latest GeForce RTX 50 series cards should check the ROP units and seek replacements where necessary.
