Nvidia's RTX 5090 and 5080 graphics cards launch on January 30, 2025. That is less than a week from now (at the time of this writing) and while we have pricing on the Founders Editions ($1999 and $999 respectively), official AIB pricing (essentially pricing from third-parties) has been harder to spot.
Recent leaks, however, have pointed to a significant uptick in AIB premiums versus prior generations. What does this mean? Well, it most likely means sellers are anticipating the 5090 and 5080 to be targeted by scalpers.
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How Much Are The RTX 5090 And 5080 Expected To Retail For?
While Nvidia's pricing for the Founders Edition units might hold steady on their site, you can guess that scalpers and bots will be the first to benefit from what is expected to be the relatively limited stock on offer. A recent leak from PCPartPicker paints a story of a stark increase in pricing for board partner SKUs of both the RTX 5090 and 5080 with as much as a 70% premium over the asking price of Nvidia's Founders Editions below:
RTX 5090 AIB Prices As Per Leaks
- Asus ROG Astral OC: $2799.99
- MSI GAMING TRIO OC: $2349.99
- MSI SUPRIM LIQUID SOC: $2499.99
- MSI SUPRIM SOC: $2399.99
- Asus TUF GAMING: $2449.99
- MSI VENTUS 3X OC: $2199.99
- MSI VANGUARD SOC LAUNCH EDITION: $2379.99
- MSI VANGUARD SOC: $2379.99
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RTX 5080 AIB Prices As Per Leaks
- Asus TUF GAMING OC: $1699.99
- Asus ROG Astral OC: $1899.99
- MSI GAMING TRIO OC: $1199.99
- MSI GAMING TRIO OC (white): $1199.99
- Asus PRIME: $1399.99
- Asus PRIME OC: $1499.99
- MSI VENTUS 3X OC PLUS: $1139.99
- Gigabyte GAMING OC: $1199.99
- Gigabyte WINDFORCE SFF: $1369.99
- MSI SUPRIM SOC: $1249.99
- MSI SUPRIM LIQUID SOC: $1299.99
- MSI VANGUARD SOC: $1229.99
Although already higher than most might expect, these prices might not be the relatively expensive light at the end of the tunnel for gamers. Securing a unit is still expected to be a significant challenge, especially at the higher end of the spectrum when it comes to SKUs like the ASUS ROG Astral and the MSI SUPRIM SOC, which are both expected to be the most highly sought-after models.
What Are Scalpers Doing When It Comes To The RTX 5090?
While both the RTX 5090 and the RTX 5080 are expected to be the target of scalpers, it seems the RTX 5090, which is the flagship GPU, seems to have the bulk of focus from both scalpers and consumers, with supplies of the RTX 5080 being easier to locate. Demand is relatively tempered versus Nvidia's latest and greatest GPU offering. As a result, this has caused an imbalance in both expectations and asking prices for RTX 5090 SKUs, even ahead of launch.
Nvidia's RTX 5090 GPUs are available for "Preorders" on eBay by scalpers promising earlier access for prices that start at $3000 for the Founders Edition while shooting up to as much as a mammoth $7000 ask for the highest-end ASUS ROG ASTRAL OC SKU.
It might be prudent to add that while some of these orders will pan out, others might not and could cause users to not only be delayed but also have to wait for refunds, potentially leaving their money in limbo.
With terms and conditions that carry multiple disclaimers, including one that states: "Our packaging and boxes are specifically crafted to safeguard the items they contain. As wear and tear is inevitable, we cannot provide replacements or exchange packaging for any flaws, bends, scuffs, or dents.", users might be better off waiting for a restock if they miss the original wave, a situation that is increasingly looking like an eventuality rather than an unfortunate circumstance, especially given the extremely tight supply for the RTX 5090.
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