Edward Snowden has criticized Nvidia for delivering high-priced GPUs with limited features, labeling it as a “monopolistic crime against consumers.” The former NSA whistleblower targeted the company’s recently released RTX 50 series, specifically the $1,000+ RTX 5080 GPU.
Snowden claimed that Nvidia’s high prices are not justified by the hardware’s capabilities. He argued that a 16GB VRAM limit is too low for the RTX 5080 and that more memory would have been expected in a flagship model. The tweet also mentioned that subsequent GPUs, such as the RTX 5070, should have had at least 16GB of RAM.
This criticism is not new, as many PC enthusiasts have complained about Nvidia’s rising GPU prices over the years. From $699 for the RTX 1080 Ti in 2017 to $1999 for the RTX 5090 in 2025, the price of high-end GPUs has increased significantly. This shift towards “next-quarter thinking” has led some to describe Nvidia as offering “F-tier value for S-tier prices.”
Snowden’s comments highlight that Nvidia’s priorities have shifted from delivering value to consumers to maximizing shareholder value. As a result, the company is no longer solely focused on gaming but also driven by AI and server markets.
The debate surrounding Nvidia’s pricing strategy continues, with many questioning whether the company should prioritize providing better value for money in its gaming products.
Source: https://overclock3d.net/news/gpu-displays/edward-snowden-calls-out-nvidia-for-delivering-f-tier-value-for-s-tier-prices-with-its-rtx-50-series