Modders are slapping 32GB of VRAM on Nvidia's RTX 5080 GPUs, but that isn't good for gamers — modded variants designed for AI workstations and servers

News
By published

We have seen these types of mods on multiple generations of Nvidia cards; it was only inevitable that the RTX 5080 would get the same treatment.

GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition
(Image credit: Nvidia)

A report has surfaced overseas confirming that modders have figured out a way to double the RTX 5080's VRAM capacity from 16GB of GDDR7 memory to 32GB. This allows gaming GPUs to be used in workstations and servers, which could ultimately increase their use for AI workloads, potentially creating supply issues. Discovered by Uniko's Hardware (h/t VideoCardz), a Chinese GPU repair technician claims modders are "successfully" modifying RTX 5080s with 32GB of memory, and deploying these mods specifically on RTX 5080 cards boasting blower-style cooler designs that are optimized for workstations and servers.

The modder did not explain how the modification process is being done. Likely, modders are adding eight additional 2GB memory chips to the RTX 5080's PCB to achieve 32GB of capacity. This is something Nvidia does on existing models, such as the RTX Pro 6000 and RTX 5060 Ti 16GB, to reach their respective memory capacities using a clamshell approach.

If this mod becomes popular, RTX 5080 supply could dwindle quickly as AI-minded buyers sweep up existing inventory, as happened with RTX 5090 sales. With the 32GB mod applied, the RTX 5080 can technically run the same AI models as the 32GB RTX 5090 (albeit with longer processing times), at just half to a third of the price (based on the constantly fluctuating prices of RTX 5090 SKUs).

However, the popularity of this mod could be hamstrung by the availability of GDDR7 video memory ICs. The outgoing DRAM memory shortage has created exponential price increases and availability shortages across the entire industry. In 2025 alone, memory prices increased by 246%, and they're expected to keep rising well into 2026.

Graphics cards have thankfully been hit the least among the major products that use memory, but ripple effects from the aforementioned availability issues are still affecting GPUs. For instance, in Japan, shops are rationing GPUs with 16GB or more of video memory. RTX 5080s modded with 32GB of VRAM will likely be made mainly from GDDR7 chips salvaged from damaged RTX 50-series graphics cards that repair technicians have on site.

Regardless, it's cool to see this mod on the RTX 5080, even if it will inevitably be used almost entirely by AI-focused customers. That said, we will likely see some gamers with deep pockets have their RTX 5080s upgraded to 32GB of GDDR7, especially with the rumored RTX 50 Super refresh likely delayed by the ongoing DRAM shortage. If true, this 32GB mod will be the only way to upgrade the RTX 5080's memory until the RTX 5080 Super arrives with its rumored 24GB of GDDR7.

If you want to check out more stories like this, we've covered a variety of graphics card mods focused on GDDR capacity upgrades, including a 44GB RTX 2080 Ti, a 128GB RTX 5090, a 48GB RTX 4090, an 8GB GTX 9070, and many more.

Google Preferred Source

Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds.

Aaron Klotz
Aaron Klotz
Contributing Writer

Aaron Klotz is a contributing writer for Tom’s Hardware, covering news related to computer hardware such as CPUs, and graphics cards.

9 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Gururu
    Gamers Nexus shows a Hong Kong shop putting 48GB on a 24GB 4090 card in two hours. In this case they needed a knew PCB wired for the additional memory, but something easily attained. See it here at the 2:33:40 part.
    Reply
  • LordVile
    They’ll also need a custom VBIOS and drivers too though so obviously it’s not good for gaming
    Reply
  • valthuer
    Turning a humble RTX 5080 into a 32GB AI monster? At this point, these modders aren’t just upgrading GPUs — they’re doing God’s work. Nvidia creates, modders let there be VRAM. Amen.
    Reply
  • richardnpaul
    I expect we'll see the same again when/if the Super refresh happens, just with 48GB of VRAM, to feed the, insatiable, AI beast.
    Reply
  • abufrejoval
    IMHO chances of 5080 supply going away because Nvidia is cutting production of the consumer chips and no longer supplying OEMs with VRAM are way bigger than the effect of these upgrade jobs on the global market.

    I just can't see them doing this at significant enough scales to have a meaningful impact on a market that's alrady facing a dire outlook with GDDR7 being in short supply and thus very expensive.

    Using these GPUs for ML scale-out via PCIe is really, really hard and requires implementing a bespoke or heavily adapted model, which requires serious engineering time.

    Now that is likely cheaper in China than in many other places, but overall you still need to get your money back somehow. So what could that possibly be?

    Using them individually doesn't really add a lot of power to a wide range of use cases, so again how do you monetize the effort, which very likely increases the resale cost to 2-4x the original sales price even without the price DRAM price increases?

    With RAM prices gone crazy, I really can't see the business case getting any better.

    I could see these cards doing somewhat better at local slop generation, which may have been the new crypto for a moment or two, but again, that's a market probably near drowing from oversupply.

    I realize that there must be a market or this wouldn't happen, but if anyone can see it, please enlighten us.
    Reply
  • orbatos
    Why is this article framed like this is some niche speculative thing? The shops doing this work are selling a commercial product, and they have been doing this kind of upgrade for years. It's primarily done with 4080s and 4090s still as they are much cheaper, but soon enough that will drop off if favour of the 5000 series cards' supply... If there 2026 supply actually materialises.
    Reply
  • orbatos
    abufrejoval said:
    IMHO chances of 5080 supply going away because Nvidia is cutting production of the consumer chips and no longer supplying OEMs with VRAM are way bigger than the effect of these upgrade jobs on the global market.
    ---------- snip ---------;
    I realize that there must be a market or this wouldn't happen, but if anyone can see it, please enlighten us.
    There are several issues with your assessment. The business case is on demand, these shops take orders, *make the modified card*, and ship it out, often the same day. Keep in mind that these are *far* cheaper than high end workstation cards even with the modifications, then compare it with the machine room behemoths, there no question that a market for people, businesses and researchers that aren't trillion dollar conglomerates exists.

    It's the same for gamers, and professional users that don't need workstation+ cards to be productive, like CG artists and video editors. The consumer market supplanted the majority of the professional market for these products most of 3 decades ago, giving individuals most of the power of a studio with some caveats. Nvidia is notorious for spurning these professionals by holding back on ram to the extent that some use different hardware if they can to bypass it.

    Those users want this, and arguably need it with the market going crazy.
    Reply
  • DingusDog
    They can have the blower cards.
    Reply
  • ManDaddio
    If someone has the money to do something then they're going to do it. That's just human nature.
    If you have the money to do something and you need to do it because the world around you is not functioning as expected then you're going to do it.
    That's human nature.

    It's just business as usual.

    And I thought the super cards were not going to happen. You mentioned in the article something about a 5080 super.

    Are they still planning on releasing that?
    Reply