Nvidia RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs are getting ready to launch on January 30 at 9am ET/6am PT/2pm GMT (today's the big day!), and the highly anticipated next-gen graphics cards are expected to be in "significant demand," Nvidia claims.
As noted by known leaker IcePopsicleDragon, Nvidia is warning buyers waiting to get their hands on an RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 that "stock-outs may happen." However, the tech giant also notes it will be "shipping more stock to retail every day" so gamers have a chance of getting one.
According to a Reddit post, campers are already outside retailers waiting for the release of Nvidia's latest GPUs, PC manufacturers like PowerGPU are warning customers "the RTX 5090 will be the worst when it comes to availability" (via Engadget) and even MSI announcing it won't have stock on launch day in the U.S. (shipments expected on February 6), this hardly comes as a surprise.
Warning you all now. The launch of the RTX 5090 will be the worst when it comes to availability. Already being told to expect it to be that way for the first 3 months.January 21, 2025
Is this the RTX 30-series shortage all over again? We're hoping not, seeing as Nvidia aims to aid gamers with more supplies to retailers. However, RTX 5090 stock in particular appears to be low, with Overclockers UK stating it only has numbers in the "single digits." Yikes. At the very least, U.K. buyers will have a better chance of grabbing an RTX 5080, with a "few hundred" hitting shelves.
All is not lost for RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs
With warnings from different suppliers and retailers galore, it comes as no surprise that RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards will be hard to get. Especially over the first three months, as PowerGPU suggests.
Our RTX 5090 desktop GPU tests showed off significant performance gains, and many gamers will want to get a hold of that power as soon as possible. And scalpers know this, too, as we've seen listings of RTX 5090 GPUs sell at a premium, with one going for $5,000 on eBay.
Still, there's more than one way to grab an RTX 5090 or 5080. In fact, pre-built gaming desktop PCs with RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 are available to grab right now, which is a worthwhile opportunity for those after a PC setup overhaul. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if people swiped one just for the GPU onboard.
I expect it will be a while before we see RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs become more commonplace around the globe. Some may settle for an RTX 5060 or 5060 Ti, with the latter looking fairly promising seeing as it may come with a 16GB GDDR7 VRAM variant.
The hunt is on for Nvidia's next-gen GPUs, and if you're wondering where to buy an RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, we're keeping track of the best retailers to look out for.
More from Tom's Guide
- RTX 5090 gaming PCs are available to grab right now — here's where to find one
- RTX 5070 gaming laptops will be my new gold standard — here's why
- Nvidia RTX 5090: 3 reasons to buy and 2 reasons to skip
