Introducing the Nvidia RTX 5070: The Controversial New Flagship GPU with 12GB of VRAM Hitting CES 2025

Nvidia’s RTX 5070: A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing GPU?

Rumors have been circulating that Nvidia’s upcoming RTX 5070 graphics card will be unveiled alongside the RTX 5080 and 5090 at CES 2025. Initially, we were only expecting the RTX 5080 and 5090 to be the first Blackwell GPUs to hit the market, but it looks like the RTX 5070 has snuck its way into the mix.

Wccftech has claimed that the RTX 5070 will use the GB205 chip, which is a slower iteration of the GPU, with a 192-bit memory bus and 12GB of GDDR7 memory. This is lower than the 32GB GDDR7 memory found on the RTX 5090 and 5090, but still a significant step up from the 8GB of GDDR6 memory on the current RTX 4070.

The RTX 5070 will reportedly have a total memory bandwidth of 672GB/s, which is significantly less than the 1024GB/s of the RTX 5080. However, it will still be faster than the RTX 4070, with memory bandwidth that is a third more.

Power consumption is also expected to increase for the RTX 5070, with a TDP of 250W, up from the 200W of the RTX 4070. This might be a concern for gamers who are looking for a more energy-efficient GPU.

Leakers Harukaze5719 and Kopite7kimi have both backed up these specs, with Harukaze adding a purported core count of 6,400 for the RTX 5070.

Analysis: Is the RTX 5070 a Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing?

The reaction to these specs has been less than positive, with some gamers calling out Nvidia for what they see as a lack of value in the RTX 5070. After all, 12GB of GDDR7 memory may not be enough for the next generation of games, and the power consumption is a concern.

However, we need to keep in mind that these are just rumors, and we don’t know the pricing of these GPUs yet. It’s possible that Nvidia will price the RTX 5070 in a way that makes it a more attractive option for gamers on a budget.

Still, the cynical among us might point to the fact that this could be an attempt by Nvidia to sell more high-end GPUs by cannibalizing the mid-range market. The RTX 5080, with its 32GB GDDR7 memory, might be the "real" 16GB version of the RTX 5070, with the lower-end GPU serving as a way to generate more sales volume and drive up average revenue per unit.

What Does it Mean for Gamers?

For PC gamers, the RTX 5070 might be a viable option if the pricing is right. However, the conclusiveness of the situation is still uncertain, and we’ll need to wait for more information to make a final judgment.

The real question is whether the RTX 5070 will be able to provide a good balance between performance and power consumption, or if it will be a compromise between the two. With the RTX 5070, Nvidia might be targeting a specific niche, such as budget-conscious gamers or those who prefer a more energy-efficient GPU.

Next-Gen AI Technologies: A Bright Spot in the Cloud?

Wccftech’s report on the RTX 5070 also hints at Nvidia revealing "next-generation AI technologies" for PC gamers, which could be a major surprise at CES 2025. This could be the key to making up for the potential shortcomings of the RTX 5070, such as its memory limitations. If this is the case, then the RTX 5070 might be a worthwhile consideration for those interested in gaming at 4K resolutions.