Cutting corners: Supplies of Nvidia’s RTX 50 series graphics cards are so limited that at least one retailer is selling units marked as slightly defective – potentially still selling out at inflated prices. Although Nvidia claims that only a tiny number of desktop GPUs – and no laptop models – suffer from missing ROPs, users should carefully read each product page’s fine print and use diagnostic software to confirm that nothing is amiss.

VideoCardz recently spotted German retailer Alternate selling an RTX 5090 graphics card while openly acknowledging that it was missing ROP units, which can degrade gaming performance by up to 10 percent. The listing quickly disappeared, possibly having been sold despite the store’s clear warning.

Last month, Nvidia admitted that a fraction of one percent of RTX 5090, 5090D, 5080, and 5070 Ti GPUs shipped with slightly fewer Raster Operations Pipeline (ROP) units than advertised.

Running GPU-Z confirms that some 5090s are enabling only 168 ROPs instead of the specified 176. In early March, some users also reported missing ROPs in laptop GPUs, but Nvidia stated it found no issues in mobile products.

ROPs play a crucial role in the graphics rendering pipeline, but Nvidia maintains that missing units should not impact AI or other productivity workloads. If that claim holds true, someone might have purchased an RTX 5090 with this defect specifically for non-gaming use.

When products sell out, Alternate sometimes offers “B-Stock” units, which may exhibit minor defects or cosmetic issues. Like refurbished or used components, most B-Stock GPUs show signs of wear or come with slightly damaged packaging.

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However, VideoCardz published a screenshot of a Zotac RTX 5090 store page that warned the GPU included only 168 ROPs. Despite the reduced performance, it was listed at the same price as a fully functional unit – €2,899, which is a €670 premium over the card’s €2,229 MSRP. While Alternate carries other GPUs in B-Stock, none have been reported with missing ROPs so far.

Customers who knowingly purchase GPUs with missing ROPs from Alternate cannot exchange them for non-defective units, but EU regulations still guarantee refunds.

Meanwhile, Nvidia has not offered any direct remedy for affected customers, stating only that it has fixed the manufacturing issue and recommending that users with concerns contact their GPU vendors.