Nvidia RTX 5090 eBay Prices Hit $9,000 Amid User Protests with Fake Listings

The much-anticipated RTX 5090 and 5080 GPUs from Nvidia hit the market yesterday, sparking a frenzy among tech enthusiasts and gamers alike. These high-powered and high-priced graphics cards have become the hottest commodities, selling out almost immediately at most retail outlets, leaving many eager buyers disappointed.

As a result, these GPUs, particularly the RTX 5090, are facing severe scalping issues on resale platforms like eBay. Right after their launch, RTX 5090s were snapped up for over $6,000, and prices have now soared to an astonishing peak of $9,000. This represents a staggering 350% markup over the GPU’s manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $1,999.

The question on everyone's mind is: why are people willing to pay such exorbitant prices? The answer lies in the RTX 5090's versatility. It's not just a powerhouse for gaming but also excels in AI workloads. This makes it an attractive option for startups and businesses in the AI sector looking to run models locally. Since Nvidia’s Datacenter GPUs are often out of reach financially, the RTX 5090 becomes the next best choice, despite its inflated resale prices.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

5 Images

However, the gaming community isn't sitting idly by amidst the supply shortages and scalping. eBay is now flooded with deceptive listings aimed at tricking hopeful buyers into purchasing nothing more than an *image* of the RTX 5090, rather than the actual card.

One such listing humorously warns, "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 dimensions are 8 inches by 8 inches, I got the frame from Target. DO NOT BUY IF YOU’RE A HUMAN.”

Similarly, another sold listing for $2,457 explicitly states: “Geforce RTX 5090 (read description) Picture Only - Not the Actual Item,” with a no-refund policy for the image that is not the RTX 5090 itself.

The underlying problem stems from a lack of competition in the high-end consumer GPU market. With AMD’s RX 9070 series unable to challenge Nvidia's power dominance and Intel trailing behind, Nvidia reigns supreme. The combination of card shortages and sky-high prices presents a challenging scenario for high-end PC builders and enthusiasts, painting a bleak outlook for the immediate future.