The highly anticipated RTX 5090 and 5080 GPUs have launched, creating a frenzy in the market. High demand and limited supply have resulted in immediate sellouts across most retail channels, leaving many gamers and professionals disappointed.
Consequently, both cards, particularly the RTX 5090, are experiencing significant price gouging on secondary markets like eBay. Shortly after release, RTX 5090s were listed for over $6,000, with prices escalating to a shocking $9,000 – a 350% markup from the MSRP of $1,999.
This exorbitant pricing is driven by the RTX 5090's suitability for both gaming and demanding AI workloads. Startups and AI businesses, often unable to afford Nvidia's datacenter GPUs, see the RTX 5090 as a viable, albeit expensive, alternative for local model processing.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Image Gallery
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The scarcity and price inflation haven't gone unnoticed. eBay is now flooded with deceptive listings, attempting to swindle buyers with photographs of the RTX 5090 instead of the actual product.
One such listing explicitly states: "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 detentions [sic] is 8 inches by 8 inches, I got the frame from Target. DO NOT BUY IF YOU’RE A HUMAN.”
Another completed listing, sold for $2,457, clearly indicates: “Geforce RTX 5090 (read description) Picture Only - Not the Actual Item,” with a similar disclaimer regarding non-refundable image purchases.
The core problem stems from the lack of substantial competition in the high-end consumer GPU market. With AMD's RX 9070 series seemingly unable to challenge Nvidia's dominance, and Intel still playing catch-up, Nvidia holds a near-monopoly. This, coupled with the current shortages and inflated prices, presents a bleak outlook for high-end PC builders and enthusiasts.
