Gamers Are Refusing the Sky-High RTX 5090 GPU Prices, Leaving Shelves Full of $4,000 GPUs

[AleksandarK]

While we are used to gamers buying GPUs over their MSRPs just to get the latest and greatest, it appears that there are some limits to that. According to a Redditor, who pictured a Microcenter hardware store in Dallas, Texas, there are full shelves of ASUS ROG Astral RTX 5090 GPUs with AIO liquid cooling. Instead of the usual sold-out reaction, gamers are drawing a line at these $3,719 GPUs, leaving shelves full of GPUs retailing for almost two times their MSRP. Despite being a flagship model with great performance (we tested an air-cooled ASUS ROG Astral RTX 5090 version), all its bells and whistles aren't convincing enough for gamers to justify spending almost $4,000 on a single GPU. It could be the unusual 360 mm radiator that is difficult to accommodate in most cases or the case where gamers have started waiting for more realistically priced GPUs.

Interestingly, the regular air-cooled variants like the ASUS TUF version or the air-cooled Astral OC are nowhere to be found, as these models are priced much lower, with the TUF version carrying a $2,450 and Astral OC air-cooled version carrying a $2,800 MSRP. Of course, while these cards are not being sold at MSRP, they are likely being sold for much less than the Astral LC version, which nears the $4,000 price point. It appears that gamers are stopping the trend of paying astronomical prices over MSRP and are waiting for the supply to improve so prices can come down. In the past period, one tracker of RTX 5090 listings on eBay, averaging data for 30 days, noted that the flagship RTX 5090 tops the chart with a staggering $4,222 on secondary markets compared to its $2,000 MSRP, an increase of roughly 111%. We hope the supply situation improves and that MSRP prices with slight premiums for high-end designs make a return.



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[Macro Device]

So being fully into LLM, AI, render and parallel calculations makes you a gamer? Semantic shifts are crazy these days!

 

[Athena]

I wonder if this is giving the scalpers a hard time now, sitting on cards that they can't sell for a 200% markup

 

[freeagent]

I can buy a shitbox for 4K USD, put 100K KM on it, and still come out ahead lol

 

[windwhirl]

I think most people draw the final line at 1000 USD mark. Anyone paying beyond that is enthusiast or has some orher non-gaming use for any such GPU

 

[Macro Device]

Anyone paying beyond that is enthusiast or has some orher non-gaming use for any such GPU

Or they're morbidly minted. Also possible.

 

[skizzo]

It appears that gamers are stopping the trend of paying astronomical prices over MSRP and are waiting for the supply to improve so prices can come down

don't pee on my leg, and tell me it's rain. people are spending 50%+ increases on a $600 card. astronomical is subjective, but it is objectively fact people are still paying inflated prices. when it was the RX 6000 series it was at least capped at like 25%+ increases. as far as I am concerned, these recent launches are WORSE than the last few.

 

[evernessince]

Gamers in general have been rejecting GPU prices over the last several generations, they've just been getting dragged along for the ride by AI demand.

For AI use, the 5090 is pretty disappointing. 32GB of VRAM was less than what many were expecting, especially given the price increase. It's more or less in line with Nvidia's enterprise offerings at the quoted $4,000 price tag.

There's all the issues with the 5000 series to contend with as well and the fact that getting it to actually work with many AI tools is a PITA. With all the issues and the lack of improvements to perf per watt the 5090 doesn't really feel superior to the 4090. It feels like you are trading off stability and peace of mind for a unstable furnace that will cost you more than double the money.

 

[john_]

They are patiently waiting for a SALE at $3499.95 to buy.

 

[ZoneDymo]

Thank god AMD atleast did the research and knows the midrange sub 700 dollar card is where most people are buying so gave us cards that fit that market......oh....oh wait.....riiiight nvm.....

 

[xorbe]

I will play at 1080p low settings before paying $4000 for a gaming video card.

 

[[XC] Oj101]

As a retailer that (naturally) relies on sales, I say… Good. I’m personally so over the GPU market at the moment.

 

[windwhirl]

Thank god AMD atleast did the research and knows the midrange sub 700 dollar card is where most people are buying so gave us cards that fit that market......oh....oh wait.....riiiight nvm.....

Well, they said they sold way more cards in the first week of the RX 9000 series than in previous launches. It's just that the demand is too high. And people validating way higher prices by purchasing anyway because FOMO or whatever doesn't help.

 

[Bobaganoosh]

for better pricing.

 

[mechtech]

"Gamers Are Refusing the Sky-High RTX 5090 GPU Prices, Leaving Shelves Full of $4,000 GPUs"

I don't believe it, are they getting some common sense or is the 5090 just meh?

 

[RejZoR]

"Gamers Are Refusing the Sky-High RTX 5090 GPU Prices, Leaving Shelves Full of $4,000 GPUs"

I don't believe it, are they getting some common sense or is the 5090 just meh?

Between missing ROPs, black screens, melting connectors, insane prices... we'll never know I guess.

 

[Sydneyblue]

Thats the only way is a boycott of these prices. Even the 5080 isnt worth the 1400 dollars in my opinion

 

[john_]

Thats the only way is a boycott of these prices. Even the 5080 isnt worth the 1400 dollars in my opinion

Nvidia and it's AIBs don't lose. Even if they are forced, for example in 12 months from now, to dust off the cards and sell them for $2200 instead of $3700, they probably still make a profit, considering MSRP was at $2000. On the other hand maybe even 5090's MSRP was fake and they need to sell at much higher than $2000 to make any profit.

 

[Sydneyblue]

Nvidia and it's AIBs don't lose. Even if they are forced, for example in 12 months from now, to dust off the cards and sell them for $2200 instead of $3700, they probably still make a profit, considering MSRP was at $2000. On the other hand maybe even 5090's MSRP was fake and they need to sell at much higher than $2000 to make any profit.

It just sucks

 

[chevy350]

Oh no....I feel so bad for all those cards just sitting there collecting dust never getting to know what a good home we could offer them.

Hope they sit there for months then maybe they will do something about the gouging...but probably not
I got fed up at waiting a few years ago when the 3xxx's couldn't be found that when I found 2 (one for me and one for wife) I paid a tad over $1200 per for a pair of 3060Ti's...never again. Lucked out with the cards we have now and paid a tad over MSRP but not double

 

[mechtech]

Between missing ROPs, black screens, melting connectors, insane prices... we'll never know I guess.

but I thought they fixed that

Taiwan’s TSMC fixes Nvidia Blackwell design flaw | Taiwan News | Oct. 24, 2024 12:41

CEO Jensen Huang dismisses rumors Nvidia on bad terms with TSMC | Oct. 24, 2024 12:41

taiwannews.com.tw

 

[Lew Zealand]

A few gamers not buying at $2000 over MSRP but still shelling out >$1000 over MSRP for supply-constrained parts is underwhelming news at best.

 

[Bluerivers]

Yeah , where are all these Founders edition cards ? We were promised !

 

[bonehead123]

#DieScaplersDIE#

And yea nGreediya & all it's AIB partners, this includes you, as well as the re/etailers too !

 

[Guwapo77]

I don't know how long ago this was, but I don't see any available on Dallas' MicroCenter website...