Nvidia has confirmed that a small number of GeForce RTX 50 series graphics cards, including the RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti, are shipping with a defect impacting gaming performance.  The issue stems from missing Raster Operating Pipeline (ROP) units, crucial for rendering graphics.

The RTX 5090, Nvidia's flagship Blackwell GPU, boasts features like DLSS 4 and Multi-Frame Generation, making it highly sought after by PC gamers.  However, the initial launch was plagued by scalpers and stock shortages, further compounding the frustration for consumers now facing potential defects.

The RTX 5080, another card in the 50 series lineup, has been generally well-received for its performance and efficiency.  However, the discovery of the ROP issue in the 5090 raises concerns about potential wider problems in the Blackwell architecture.

Initially reported by TechPowerUp, the defect affects cards from various manufacturers, including Zotac, MSI, Gigabyte, and Inno3D.  Cards with the defect have 168 ROPs enabled instead of the expected 176, resulting in a performance decrease of 4% to 8%, particularly noticeable in games utilizing ray tracing.  Users can check their ROP count using diagnostic tools like GPU-Z.

Nvidia has acknowledged the manufacturing defect, estimating it impacts less than 0.5% of RTX 5090 and 5070 Ti cards.  While the company assures users that Founder's Edition cards are unaffected, those with AIB partner cards are advised to contact their respective manufacturer for a replacement or RMA.  Nvidia has stated that the issue has been resolved in subsequent production runs.

While the missing ROPs do not impact AI workloads, the performance hit for gaming is significant.  This defect adds another layer of complexity to the already challenging RTX 50 series launch, marked by limited availability and inflated prices.  Nvidia's Verified Priority Access program aims to address some of these issues, but its effectiveness remains to be seen.