Nvidia’s RTX 4090 is rumored to be on the verge of being discontinued to make way for a new flagship Blackwell GPU, the RTX 5090.
Wccftech noted that the Japanese tech blog Gaslog got the scoop on this from the Board Channels in China, a well-known source of supply chain rumors, but one that should be viewed with some skepticism.
We’ve heard that Nvidia plans to cease production of the RTX 4090 (and the RTX 4090D variant for China) in October, then phase out GPU inventory over the course of that month and into November.
This of course paves the way for the RTX 5090 (and 5090D), at least in theory.
The source further notes that now that production has been halted, supplies of the RTX 4090 may soon run out and the price may rise as a result – at least while the RTX 5090 is still waiting in the wings.
Analysis: Timing of Blackwell’s launch
This is merely speculation, and requires additional seasoning given the source, as we’ve already noted. Still, given the plans for the next-gen graphics card, it’s not exactly surprising to hear that Nvidia is expected to pull the plug on the RTX 4090 next month – but note that the (translated) report couches this in terms of an expectation, rather than a concrete plan for Team Green at this stage.
Normally, we’d judge the likely veracity of a rumor by examining other speculation tied to it, which in this case means the alleged launch date of the RTX 5090 (and RTX 5080, which is also expected to be part of the initial Blackwell launch). Unfortunately, the gossip mill has been a bit of a roller coaster ride on that prospect.
By the way, there are now also some reliable sources who think that the RTX 5090 and 5080 will be launched at CES 2025, or perhaps not until late 2024. That would coincide with the RTX 4090 stock reduction starting next month.
A more recent suggestion, however, is a September launch, which would point to an imminent arrival, though we honestly don’t believe in that possibility. We would have expected there to be more rumors surrounding the RTX 5090 (and 5080) at this stage if they were about to be released. We’re more inclined to believe the possibility of a CES 2025 launch, honestly, but we could of course be wrong.
Still, if you’re looking to pick up an RTX 4090, be aware that prices could go up. That said, with the RTX 5090 launching somehow soon, it seems a little silly not to wait for the next-gen flagship to see if it really will be a massive performance boost over its Lovelace counterpart, as some are predicting (which will certainly earn it a spot on our list of the best GPUs). That said, the RTX 5090’s price tag could be seriously eye-watering, and indeed, we’d be surprised if it wasn’t – a hike seems very likely.
