Nvidia Warns of RTX 5090, 5080 Stock Shortage Before Release

The launch of Nvidia's RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs is set for January 30, and the excitement is palpable among tech enthusiasts. However, reports from retailers and brands have sparked concerns about potential shortages of these highly anticipated graphics cards. Eager buyers are already camping outside stores, eager to get their hands on what are expected to be two of the most sought-after GPUs ever, despite their steep price tags of $1,999 for the RTX 5090 and $999 for the RTX 5080.

Manufacturer MSI, as reported by WCCFTech, has indicated that the initial supply of these GPUs will be limited due to the Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year. This holiday is expected to impact the first wave of GPUs, with stock levels anticipated to stabilize throughout February and beyond.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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Retailers have also voiced concerns about the availability of the RTX 5090. Overclockers UK claimed it has received only "single digits at present," and last week reported having just a "few hundred" RTX 5080 GPUs for the launch. U.S. retailer PowerGPU echoed these sentiments on Twitter, stating, "The launch of the RTX 5090 will be the worst when it comes to availability."

In response to the growing concerns, Nvidia representative Tim@Nvidia posted a statement on the company's official forum titled "GeForce RTX 50 Series Availability," which reads:

"We expect significant demand for the GeForce RTX 5090 and 5080 and believe stock-outs may happen. Nvidia and our partners are shipping more stock to retail every day to help get GPUs into the hands of gamers."

As fears of limited stock escalate, scalpers are ready to capitalize on the situation. Listings for RTX 5090 GPUs have already appeared on eBay as "pre-sale." One notable listing showcases an Asus ROG Astral RTX 5090 available for pre-order from a collectibles reseller at a staggering $5,750, marking an 187% increase over the card's original $1,999 MSRP.

Amid the excitement of the new GPU launch, Nvidia faces another challenge this week. The company's share price tumbled by 16.86% on Monday following the emergence of the Chinese AI model DeepSeek, which claims to have been trained for just $6 million. This development poses a potential risk to Nvidia's datacenter GPU sales prospects.