The RTX PRO 5500 runs the exact same GB202 configuration as the RTX 5090 that launched at $1,999 — the added 52GB of VRAM costs professionals an eyewatering $16,000 markup - TechRadar
Nvidia's RTX PRO 5500 workstation card uses the same GB202 configuration as the RTX 5090 gaming GPU, but costs $17,999 compared to the 5090's $1,999 launch price, creating a $16,000 markup for professionals.
The RTX PRO 5500 uses the same GB202 configuration as the RTX 5090: 170 SMs and 21,760 CUDA cores. While not a complete rebadge, it features a different board, 84GB of ECC memory, a narrower bus, and professional features. Nvidia insists the GeForce RTX 5090 has not been discontinued, but its GPU keeps appearing in professional cards, with the RTX PRO 5500 listed by US reseller SHI Government Solutions at $17,999.
This overlap has fueled claims that Nvidia is rebadging its gaming flagship as a pro card to maximize profits while abandoning gamers. The reality, however, might be more nuanced and consequential for anyone still hoping to buy a 5090.
Same Chip, Different Price
Both the RTX 5090 and RTX 5500 Pro use the GB202 die with 170 streaming multiprocessors, giving each 21,760 CUDA cores, 680 Tensor cores, and 96MB of L2 cache. The RTX PRO 5500 packs 84GB of ECC GDDR7 memory using 28 3GB modules, compared to 32GB on the 5090. It runs that memory over a narrower, slower interface, reducing bandwidth to 1,398GB/s from the 5090's 1,792GB/s.
The GPU is rated for 600W rather than 575W, can be split into two isolated 42GB instances, ships with professional drivers, and is built for rack-mounted workstations. Of the GB202 products, only the RTX 5090 and RTX PRO 5500 use the 170-SM configuration, making the 5500 the first pro card built with dies that previously had one main home: the 5090.
Although the RTX 5090 has other variants, it has definitely not been discontinued.
Economics of Reallocation
The economics are stark: The RTX 5090 launched at $1,999. In October 2026, Reuters reported that ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent had ordered more than three million RTX PRO 5500s at about $11,400 each, while the SHI listing puts its MSRP at $17,999. The same GPU configuration is worth roughly 5.7 times its gaming launch price in Chinese bulk orders, and about nine times at that US list price.
An extra 52GB of GDDR7 memory doesn't explain the price gap. Nvidia earns substantially more profit per die in a 5500 than in a 5090, making it a no-brainer to supply the former. Demand sharpens the trade-off: Chinese orders for the export-compliant card had passed six million, while Nvidia could make no more than three million in 2027, leaving little commercial reason to send 170-SM dies to gaming cards.
Not Discontinued, Just Not Available
Leakers claimed that "all future GB202 supplies are RTX Pro exclusive" and that Nvidia would stop making every RTX 5090 model. Nvidia denied discontinuation but acknowledged supply constraints without explaining how GB202 output is divided between products. A German overclocker reported that an Nvidia board partner could no longer order the GB202 and 32GB memory kit needed to build a 5090.
Cooler suppliers noted that partners had cut RTX 5090 cooler orders for 2027. In China, the gray market shows retail RTX 5090s being modified for AI servers. Chinese manufacturer Suqiao listed a modified 96GB RTX 5090 on Alibaba for $3,888. Nvidia doesn't need to rebadge the 5090 - the RTX PRO 5500 lets it sell the same configuration at several times the price to a market with more demand than supply.
Until Nvidia explains how it divides GB202 between gamers and workstation buyers, "not discontinued" and "not available" can both be true. For gamers, that distinction matters little as the RTX 5090 remains effectively unavailable worldwide.
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