Nvidia has confirmed that approximately 1 in 200 of its RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti GPUs have a hardware-level fault causing lower than expected frame rates. The problem is due to a loss of ROPs (Raster Operations Pipelines), a key element of the inner workings of the GPU.
To check if your Blackwell GPU might be affected, you can use tools like GPU-Z or HWiNFO to monitor and report back on multiple elements of the spec. In GPU-Z, look for the ROPs count in the Graphics Card tab. For RTX 5090 models, the correct number is 176, but impaired flagship models are showing 168. For RTX 5070 Ti models, the correct spec is 96 ROPs.
The impact of this issue varies depending on the game used and can range from a 4% to 5% performance loss. In some cases, you may not notice any difference at all, while others may experience slowed frame rates due to the reduced pipelines. Nvidia has confirmed that the production anomaly responsible for this issue has been fixed.
If you have an RTX 5090 or RTX 5070 Ti with this problem, contact your board manufacturer and begin the process of having the graphics card replaced. However, it’s essential to note that this may cause issues for those who sold their old GPU when they upgraded, leaving them without a gaming PC.
Future GPUs are unlikely to suffer from this issue due to the production anomaly being fixed by Nvidia.
Source: https://www.techradar.com/computing/gpu/nvidia-confirms-rare-issue-with-some-rtx-5090-and-rtx-5070-ti-gpus-heres-how-to-check-if-youre-affected-and-to-get-a-replacement