The highly anticipated RTX 5090 and 5080 GPUs launched yesterday, immediately becoming a hot commodity. High demand and limited supply resulted in rapid sellouts across most retail channels, leaving many potential buyers disappointed.

Consequently, both cards, particularly the RTX 5090, are experiencing significant price gouging on secondary marketplaces like eBay. Shortly after launch, RTX 5090s were fetching over $6,000, a price that has since escalated to a shocking $9,000 – a 350% markup from the MSRP of $1,999.

This exorbitant pricing stems from the RTX 5090's suitability for both gaming and demanding AI workloads. Startups and AI businesses, often unable to afford Nvidia's datacenter GPUs, view the RTX 5090 as the next best alternative, justifying the inflated aftermarket cost.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Image Gallery

5 ImagesThe gaming community's response to the scarcity and scalping has been notable. eBay is now flooded with fraudulent listings, designed to deceive buyers into purchasing a photograph of the RTX 5090 instead of the actual GPU.

One such listing explicitly states: "Bots and scalpers welcome, do not buy if you are a human, you will be getting a framed photo of the 5090, you will not receive the 5090. The photo detentions [sic] is 8 inches by 8 inches, I got the frame from Target. DO NOT BUY IF YOU’RE A HUMAN.”

Another completed listing, sold for $2,457, clearly indicates: “Geforce RTX 5090 (read description) Picture Only - Not the Actual Item,” with a similar disclaimer regarding non-refundable image purchases.

This situation highlights the lack of competition in the high-end consumer GPU market. With AMD's RX 9070 series seemingly failing to challenge Nvidia's dominance and Intel lagging behind, Nvidia holds a monopoly. The current shortage and exorbitant prices present a bleak outlook for high-end PC builders and enthusiasts.