RTX GPUs Stock Warning: Nvidia Alerts Gamers

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, fueled by the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Early indications point to extremely high demand, with prospective buyers already lining up outside stores. The cards' hefty price tags – $1,999 for the RTX 5090 and $999 for the RTX 5080 – haven't deterred this enthusiasm.

MSI, a major manufacturer, attributes the initial scarcity to the Lunar New Year's impact on production, anticipating stock levels to improve in February. Retailers echo these concerns, with some reporting extremely low allocations of the RTX 5090, even in the single digits. One US retailer predicted the RTX 5090 launch would be "the worst when it comes to availability."

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 supply.

Despite Nvidia's statement, the potential for shortages has already attracted scalpers. Pre-sale listings on eBay are showing inflated prices, with one Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090 listed for a staggering $5,750 – a massive markup of 187% over the MSRP.

Adding to Nvidia's challenges, the company's share price experienced a significant drop (16.86%) following the announcement of a new Chinese AI model, DeepSeek, trained at a fraction of the cost of Nvidia's solutions. This raises questions about the future of Nvidia's datacenter GPU market share.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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