Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Launches Without Early Reviews — Press Drivers Withheld Until Release

Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5060 was set to be the budget GPU story of the spring, but a surprising move from Team Green has left would-be reviewers – and savvy buyers – hanging. This week, Nvidia confirmed it will not issue pre-release drivers for the $299 card, meaning no independent benchmarks or reviews until the moment the card officially hits shelves on May 19. With rival GPUs from Intel and AMD ramping up competition in this price segment, Nvidia’s decision has sparked more questions than answers.

GeForce RTX 5060: No Reviews Before Launch Raises Red Flags

• No pre-release drivers: Reviewers can’t test or benchmark the RTX 5060 until May 19.
• Concerns about 8GB VRAM: Competing cards offer more memory, potentially impacting performance.
• Priced at $299: Launches head-to-head with Intel Arc B580 (12GB) and rumored Radeon RX 9060 XT.
• Recommend patience: Wait for independent benchmarks before buying.

This is not the usual playbook for Nvidia, a company whose GeForce launches are typically accompanied by a flurry of glowing (and sometimes critical) reviews. The move to withhold press drivers – the software essential for fully unlocking and testing new GPUs — effectively muzzles independent analysis until the card is already on sale.

While Nvidia hasn’t publicly explained the decision, industry watchers are reading between the lines. The most glaring concern? The RTX 5060’s 8GB of video memory. In an era when many modern games chew through VRAM at high settings, recent reviews (and hands-on tests of the RTX 5060 Ti) have shown that 8GB can be a critical bottleneck. Even Nvidia’s own pricier cards with limited VRAM have tripped up in demanding titles, leading to stutters and lackluster performance in real-world scenarios.

By comparison, Intel’s Arc B580, retailing at $309, offers 12GB of VRAM out of the gate — a significant advantage in memory-hungry games. Rumors point to AMD’s forthcoming Radeon RX 9060 XT sporting both 8GB and 16GB variants. If the 16GB AMD card lands near the 5060’s price, Nvidia’s new contender could be in for a rough launch.

Why the radio silence from Nvidia? Some speculate it’s an attempt to prevent a repeat of the negative reception that greeted the 8GB RTX 4060 Ti, which critics panned for its limited memory. In a market where graphics card launches often sell out regardless of reviews — thanks to Nvidia’s brand power and pent-up demand — the company may be relying on reputation alone to move units on day one.

Still, the RTX 5060 isn’t without merit. It boasts a 25% bump in CUDA core count compared to its predecessor, bringing better rendering power and support for Nvidia’s latest frame generation tech. But for $299 and just 8GB of VRAM, its appeal will depend heavily on how it handles the latest games at high settings — information gamers won’t have until launch day.

Our advice? Hold off hitting that “buy” button until the first independent benchmarks are out. With credible competitors from Intel and AMD on the horizon, and memory requirements creeping up every year, waiting could mean the difference between a smart upgrade and serious buyer’s remorse.

TL;DR

Nvidia won’t allow early reviews of the $299 GeForce RTX 5060, so buyers won’t see independent benchmarks before launch. With just 8GB of VRAM and stiff competition from Intel and AMD, it’s wise to wait for real-world performance data before deciding if it’s the right budget GPU for you.

Source: Nvidia via GamesPress