NVIDIA Expects “Significant Demand” for the GeForce RTX 5090 and 5080 as People Begin Camping Out for “Blackwell” GPUs at Micro Center: “Stock-Outs May Happen”

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Image: NVIDIA

The GeForce RTX 5090 and GeForce RTX 5080, two new high-end consumer GPUs for gamers, creators, and developers based on NVIDIA’s “Blackwell” architecture, will be very difficult to find at launch despite their relatively high starting prices of $1,999 and $999, respectively, according to a message that NVIDIA staff posted to the company’s official GeForce Graphics Cards forum this morning.

“We expect significant demand for the GeForce RTX 5090 and 5080 and believe stock-outs may happen,” Tim@NVIDIA writes to those who were curious as to whether or not they’d be able to get a Blackwell gaming GPU on launch day, which is just days away, with retailers prepared to let loose on Thursday, January 30. “NVIDIA & our partners are shipping more stock to retail every day to help get GPUs into the hands of gamers.”

Image: The FPS Review

NVIDIA’s message comes a day after reddit learned that some customers have already begun camping out at Micro Center, a business that describes itself as the #1 tech retailer in the U.S., with various brick-and-mortar locations spread out over 20 states.

Image: reddit

“While we know that you’re just as excited for this as we are, we do discourage camping at our locations for the 5090 and 5080,” Micro Center said in a video that was posted to its official YouTube channel on January 15. “Guys, it’s January, and let’s face it, it’s really cold out there. Now for lines and purchases on launch day, we’re implementing a voucher system.”

“The people camping clearly don’t have jobs unless they have a crazy remote setup going so they rely on this scalping BS for money,” reads a reply from one critic.

“I just thought about it. They’re likely paying a homeless person to just chill outside Microcenter,” another said.

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Tsing Mui
News poster at The FPS Review.

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