RTX 5090, 5080 GPUs Scarce Ahead of Launch

The highly anticipated Nvidia RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 are set to launch on January 30th, but concerns about immediate shortages are mounting. Reports from retailers and manufacturers suggest limited initial stock, prompting some consumers to already queue outside stores. Despite their hefty price tags ($1,999 and $999 respectively), these GPUs are generating immense demand.

MSI, for example, attributes the initial scarcity to the Lunar New Year, anticipating stock levels to normalize in February. Overclockers UK reported receiving only a handful of RTX 5090 units, echoing similar concerns from PowerGPU in the US, who predict extremely limited availability at launch. Even the RTX 5080's supply is reportedly constrained to a few hundred units.

In response to the growing anxiety, Nvidia issued a statement acknowledging the anticipated high demand and the possibility of stock-outs. They assured consumers that they and their partners are actively working to increase retail stock.

However, the limited supply is already fueling the activities of scalpers. Pre-sale listings on eBay are showcasing inflated prices, with one Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090 listed at a staggering $5,750 – a 187% markup.

Adding to Nvidia's challenges, their share price plummeted by 16.86% on Monday following the unveiling of the Chinese AI model DeepSeek. DeepSeek's surprisingly low training cost ($6 million) raises questions about the future demand for Nvidia's data center GPUs.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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