The Nvidia RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 are set to launch on January 30th, but reports from retailers and manufacturers suggest significant shortages are likely. With eager buyers already lining up outside stores, these high-end GPUs, priced at $1,999 and $999 respectively, are generating immense hype.
Manufacturer MSI, citing the Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year), anticipates limited initial stock of the new GPUs, expecting supply to improve in February. This shortage is echoed by several retailers. Overclockers UK reports receiving only a handful of RTX 5090 units, and previously stated they had only a few hundred RTX 5080 GPUs for launch. U.S. retailer PowerGPU predicts extremely limited availability for the RTX 5090.
In response to online concerns, Nvidia representative Tim@Nvidia issued a statement acknowledging anticipated high demand and potential stock-outs, assuring consumers that Nvidia and its partners are actively increasing shipments to retailers.
Despite Nvidia's statement, the scarcity is fueling scalping activity. Pre-sale listings on eBay already show inflated prices; one listing for an Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090 is priced at $5,750—a staggering 187% markup over the MSRP.
Adding to Nvidia's challenges this week, the company's share price dropped significantly following the unveiling of the Chinese AI model DeepSeek, raising concerns about Nvidia's datacenter GPU market share.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos
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