The long-awaited RTX 5090 and 5080 GPUs finally hit the market yesterday, and the demand for these high-performance cards has been nothing short of explosive. These cutting-edge GPUs have sold out almost instantly at many retail outlets, leaving a large number of eager buyers disappointed.
The scarcity has led to rampant scalping, particularly with the RTX 5090. Just hours after their release, these GPUs began appearing on resale sites like eBay at exorbitant prices. Initially, RTX 5090s were fetching over $6,000, but the prices have since escalated dramatically, reaching a staggering peak of $9,000. This represents a 350% markup over the card's manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $1,999.
So, why are people willing to pay such a premium for the RTX 5090? Beyond its prowess in gaming, the GPU is a powerhouse for AI workloads. This makes it incredibly valuable for startups and businesses in the AI sector who need to run models locally. With Nvidia's datacenter GPUs often beyond their budget, the RTX 5090 becomes an attractive, albeit expensive, alternative.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos
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However, the gaming community is fighting back against the scalpers and the supply shortage. eBay is now rife with deceptive listings designed to dupe buyers into purchasing images of the RTX 5090 instead of the actual card. One such listing humorously warns, "Bots and scalpers welcome, do not buy if you are a human, you will be getting a framed photo of the 5090, you will not receive the 5090. The photo dimensions are 8 inches by 8 inches, I got the frame from Target. DO NOT BUY IF YOU’RE A HUMAN.” Another listing, sold for $2,457, clarifies, “Geforce RTX 5090 (read description) Picture Only - Not the Actual Item,” with a no-refund policy for the image, not the GPU itself.
The underlying issue fueling this chaos is the lack of competition in the high-end consumer GPU market. With AMD's RX 9070 series unlikely to challenge Nvidia's dominance in performance, and Intel still trailing behind, Nvidia reigns supreme. The combination of limited supply and sky-high prices creates a challenging environment for high-end PC builders and enthusiasts, painting a bleak picture for the future of GPU availability.
