Nvidia RTX 5090: Campers Brave January Cold

The highly anticipated launch of Nvidia's RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards on January 30th has ignited a frenzy among PC enthusiasts. Our RTX 5090 review hailed it as the fastest consumer graphics card available, fueling immense excitement. Despite the hefty price tags—$2,000 for the RTX 5090 and $1,000 for the RTX 5080—demand is exceptionally high. Reports suggest extremely limited stock, with one UK retailer claiming to have only single-digit quantities of the RTX 5090.

This scarcity has led to an unusual scene outside a Micro Center store in Tustin, California. Days before the launch, individuals have set up tents, sparking speculation about potential scalpers aiming to profit from the low stock. Images circulating on Reddit and the Unofficial Micro Center Discord channel show multiple tents occupied by people waiting for the GPUs. One camper, in a Reddit thread, clarified their intentions, stating they are purchasing for personal use and not for resale. They emphasized their patience is due to running a business and wanting to avoid inflated prices. Reports indicate up to ten tents and approximately 24 people are currently waiting.

Micro Center, in a YouTube video, advised against camping outside their stores in anticipation of the launch, citing the cold January weather. Their launch strategy involves a first-come, first-served voucher system, offering no choice in specific GPU models. A one-card-per-customer limit is in place. While discouraging camping, Micro Center still recommends early arrival to secure a purchase.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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This isn't unprecedented; YouTuber Austin Evans documented a similar scene at the same Tustin location during the RTX 3070 launch in 2020.