Black Friday could be the right time to buy a new Nvidia GPU as RTX 5000 Super refreshes are rumored to be canceled

• Nvidia's rumored RTX 5000 Super refreshes have been canned
• Fresh speculation claims the GPUs have been ditched due to poor VRAM supply levels
• The 3GB modules of GDDR7 required for the Super GPUs are better used in AI graphics cards, we're told

Nvidia may have canceled its RTX 5000 Super refresh going by the latest from the grapevine – although we have to bear in mind that those supercharged graphics cards were only speculation in the first place.

VideoCardz noticed that Chinese PC hardware site Uniko's posted on X to claim that the long-rumored RTX 5070 and 5080 Super models are no longer inbound, albeit that post is clearly labelled as a rumor.

The RTX 5080 Super, RTX 5070 Ti Super and RTX 5070 Super were expected to massively boost video RAM by 50%, upping the loadout to 24GB for the top-end offering, and 18GB for both 5070 flavors.

And according to Uniko's Hardware, the problem Nvidia has is the fact that the 3GB modules of GDDR7 memory needed for these refreshes are thin on the ground. So, the theory is that what VRAM there is of the 3GB variety kicking about is going to be used for Nvidia's pricier – and more profitable – AI graphics cards, and there's just no room for production of new GeForce RTX Super models.

On top of that, we're told that 2GB modules of GDDR7 VRAM are also getting pricier, so the Blackwell range (which uses 2GB modules throughout currently) could get more expensive in the future.

Analysis: AI > GeForce?

Sadly, this makes sense. In case you missed it, there's been quite the hoo-hah about rising memory prices of late, and chatter about various supply-chain wobbles (affecting drives as well as RAM). I'm not so sure about the talk of current Nvidia GeForce graphics cards getting pricier, but certainly the theories raised around the potential Super refreshes sound plausible.

If 3GB modules aren't easy to come by as suggested, Nvidia is always going to prioritize graphics cards like its RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell workstation GPUs, a heavyweight board that goes for north of $8,000 in the US (with 96GB of GDDR7, that's 32 modules) – with a much beefier profit margin therein, of course.

Still, this is just a rumor, so it's possibly inaccurate – and maybe Nvidia still has plans for a Super refresh, they've just been pushed back. That's happened already, in theory, with the most recent gossip on the launch timeframe suggesting that these RTX 5000 Super graphics cards wouldn't arrive until between March and May 2026 – when previous buzz hinted at an early 2026 debut (past rumors hinted at earlier than that, even).

So, another possibility is that these Super GPUs are perhaps still on the roadmap somewhere, but not coming until much later next year. Any refresh may depend on how closely Nvidia feels it needs to compete with AMD – and there's no particularly pressing need on that score in the current GPU market.

The truth is we just don't know, but when a rumor like this emerges, we must of course take it into consideration – particularly because, as noted, it makes some sense that Nvidia could tilt its priorities in this way if there's a problem securing enough supply of 3GB VRAM modules. What we'll need to see, however, is other rumor peddlers backing up this assertion to be surer that it might be genuine.

It's also worth remembering that if this pans out, it casts a rather different light on Black Friday. Up until now I've been advising that those looking for a mid-range Nvidia GPU might want to wait for the RTX 5070 Super; but if this refresh isn't happening, the current deals you can get on the RTX 5070 – like this MSI model at Newegg US for $480 (with a $20 rebate) – suddenly look a lot more tempting, especially if the second part of this rumor regarding rising 2GB memory module costs pushing up the asking price of current Blackwell GeForce models turns out to be on the money.

As ever, we're keeping a keen eye out for all the best Black Friday deals, which are already here in force.

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