Nvidia RTX 5090 Campers Brave January Cold Despite Retailer Warnings

The excitement for Nvidia's new GPU generation is palpable as the launch date of January 30 approaches, featuring the highly anticipated RTX 5090 and RTX 5080. In our RTX 5090 review, we hailed it as "the fastest graphics card on the consumer market," fueling the frenzy around these new graphics cards. Priced at $2,000 for the RTX 5090 and $1,000 for the RTX 5080, these high-end GPUs come with a hefty price tag, yet the demand remains sky-high. Rumors suggest that stock will be extremely limited, with a UK retailer reportedly holding only "single digit" units of the RTX 5090.

The anticipation has led to eager fans camping outside Micro Center’s Tustin location in California, days before the launch. Photos circulating on Reddit and the Unofficial Micro Center Discord channel show tents set up outside the store, raising concerns that some might be scalpers looking to profit from the low stock. One camper, identified on Reddit, clarified their intentions, stating, “Hello everyone, I’m the guy that you guys are talking about in the second tent. And yes, we are buying it for our own use, no trades and no sells. We just don’t want to pay for that extra $ for a gaming card and yes we do have some times on our hands because we run a business. Good luck to everyone who are trying to get one.” They further noted that the atmosphere among those waiting is "very nice and respectful." According to the Micro Center Unofficial Discord channel, there are now up to 10 tents and around 24 people waiting for the GPU launch.

In preparation for the launch, Micro Center released a YouTube video outlining their strategy for the RTX 5090 and 5080, explicitly discouraging camping outside in the cold January weather. “We do discourage camping at our locations for the 5090 and 5080," the company stated.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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Camping outside for new graphics cards at Micro Center is not a new phenomenon, as documented by YouTuber Austin Evans during the RTX 3070 launch at the same Tustin location in 2020. Micro Center will use a voucher system to confirm purchases on a first-come-first-serve basis, with no choice in the specific model of GPU available to those in line. Customers are limited to purchasing one card each, and despite discouraging camping, Micro Center advises arriving early to secure a GPU and avoid disappointment.