NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5090 “GB202” Chip Found Defective in Certain Market Units; All Variants May Be Impacted

NVIDIA’s latest GeForce RTX 5090 GPUs are hitting a major snag as issues with the onboard "Blackwell" GB202 chip are beginning to surface across several units.

NVIDIA’s RTX Blackwell GPU Faces ROP Shortfalls: A GB202 Chip Dilemma

It’s not often gamers find tranquility when it comes to GPU markets. Initially, there was a scarcity in stock, with NVIDIA’s premier RTX Blackwell model scarcely hitting the shelves. Now, reports suggest that this leading graphics card might be defective in some instances, causing a significant drop in performance. Not long ago, we discussed a ZOTAC GeForce RTX 5090 plagued by this very problem, and according to insider @MEGAsizeGPU, the culprit appears to be the Blackwell’s GB202 chip, which is the latest topic of conversation.

"The root cause is the chip. A small batch of GB202 is defective, and the BIOS cannot rectify this issue," shared MEGAsizeGPU on Twitter back in February 2025.

For those who might not know, NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5090 has been spotted online with fewer ROPs in GPU-Z readings. Essentially, this means that units bearing this flaw deliver a reduced performance compared to standard models. Initially, it was thought the issue stemmed from GPU-Z’s readings for certain models, but it now seems clear that the root of the trouble is the faulty GB202 chip, which is anything but welcome news.

Further confirming these suspicions, an affected RTX 5090 variant underwent testing with HWINFO, which also identified fewer ROPs, strengthening the argument that the issue is more significant than first anticipated. Although we’re still in the early days of identifying the extent of the problem, it’s clear that a limited number of SKUs are affected. Worryingly, this isn’t confined to a single AIB model; it’s rumored that all variants, even the Founders Edition, might be at risk.

Image: @BuildLabEx

So, what steps should be taken now? We’ve reached out to NVIDIA for an update, and considering the fault with the GB202 chip, it’s likely that they will issue replacements via RMA. We remain hopeful that this problem won’t escalate, as it could spell trouble for NVIDIA, whose "mid-range" GPUs are reportedly already facing production delays due to performance hurdles.

To our readers, we suggest checking your models for any discrepancies in ROP counts. If your count falls below 176, we’d love to hear from you. At this point, we don’t have much information about whether other models, such as the GeForce RTX 5080, are affected, as we’re still in the early stages of understanding the full breadth of this situation.