The anticipation is building as Finnish retailer ProShop has unveiled a lineup of Gigabyte’s custom NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 GPUs. Known for its impressive tech innovations, NVIDIA’s latest offering has hit the shelves with a variety of models, starting at the eye-catching price of €1229, stretching up to a considerable €1669.
For those eyeing the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080, the baseline model that catches attention is the WindForce 3 OC. It’s priced at an almost approachable €1229, equivalent to around US$1258, inclusive of a hefty 20% VAT. Stripping away the added tax, it hovers around the attractive thousand-dollar mark, aligning with NVIDIA’s suggested MSRP within the European Union. This brings a sense of relief to prospective buyers seeking power without breaking the bank.
But, for enthusiasts craving the crème de la crème of performance, Gigabyte has rolled out some premium variants. Offering a tantalizing glimpse into the future of gaming, the Gaming OC, AERO OC, and the high-end AORUS cards command a higher price. The RTX 5080 AORUS Xtreme WaterForce edition stands at the pinnacle, boasting a staggering €1669 price tag, translating to US$1708 with VAT, and around $1423 sans taxes. It challenges wallets, nearly rivaling the cost of the RTX 4090.
For those with a penchant for pushing boundaries with bespoke custom liquid cooling, the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5080 AORUS Xtreme WaterForce WB version is also in the mix at a wallet-thinning €1639. These overclocked (OC) models promise exhilarating boost clocks, surpassing the standard 2617 MHz offered by NVIDIA’s Founders Edition, potentially breaching the 2700 MHz territory.
Reflecting back on the RTX 4080’s launch saga, which stumbled over pricing snafus, the memory lingers: an initial $1200 launch price received lukewarm reception, eventually tempered by a ‘Super’ variant priced at $1000. It’s a cautionary tale, as the RTX 5080’s higher-priced editions venture perilously close to that debacle. The additional boost clocks and enhanced cooling may not justify the bump over the Founders Edition for everyone.
As the official launch approaches, the industry watches with bated breath. Prices might adjust, but one thing is sure—this launch holds insight into how other vendors will position their RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 models. The gaming world waits to see if these GPUs will burn a hole in the pocket or offer a more approachable gateway to next-level performance.
