Nvidia Warns of RTX 5090, 5080 Stock Shortage Before Release

The launch of Nvidia's RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 is set to happen on January 30, sparking excitement among gamers and tech enthusiasts alike. These high-end GPUs, priced at $1,999 and $999 respectively, are already creating buzz, with eager buyers even camping outside stores in anticipation. Despite the high cost, these graphics cards are expected to be some of the most sought-after ever released.

However, concerns about shortages have emerged from various sources. MSI, a well-known manufacturer, has informed via WCCFTech that the initial supply of the GPUs might be limited due to the Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year. This holiday is expected to impact the first wave of shipments, although stock is predicted to stabilize as we move into February and beyond.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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Retailers have also expressed worries about the availability of the RTX 5090, with Overclockers UK stating that they have only received “single digits at present.” They mentioned last week that they had only a “few hundred” RTX 5080 GPUs for the launch. U.S. retailer PowerGPU echoed these concerns, tweeting: “The launch of the RTX 5090 will be the worst when it comes to availability.”

In response to these concerns, Nvidia representative Tim@Nvidia posted a statement on the company’s official forum titled “GeForce RTX 50 Series Availability.” The statement acknowledges the anticipated high demand and potential stock-outs but reassures customers: “Nvidia and our partners are shipping more stock to retail every day to help get GPUs into the hands of gamers.”

Amidst the fears of limited stock, scalpers are already taking advantage of the situation. Listings for RTX 5090 GPUs are appearing on eBay as “pre-sale,” with one such listing showcasing an Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090 available to order from a collectibles reseller at a staggering $5,750, marking an 187% increase over the original MSRP of the $1,999 card.

Adding to Nvidia's challenges, the company faced a significant setback this week when its share price tumbled by 16.86% on Monday. This drop followed the emergence of the Chinese AI model DeepSeek, which claims to have been trained for just $6 million, potentially threatening Nvidia’s datacenter GPU sales prospects.