Nvidia's insanely powerful, highly anticipated 50-series GPUs are set to launch on Thursday, January 30 at 9 a.m. Eastern Time / 6 a.m. Pacific Time. Unfortunately, according to recent shortage reports, you might have a hard time getting your hands on one.
Even if you're one of the few people camping out in the cold for a 50-series GPU (via IGN), you might still be out of luck. Overclockers UK currently reports single-digit inventory for the RTX 5090, possibly double digits by launch, and only a "few hundred" 5080 GPUs.
Similarly, U.S.-based retailer PowerGPU posted on X that the "launch of the RTX 5090 will be the worst when it comes to availability," and it could be at least three months before we see plentiful stock.
On top of that, limited stock and online sales will make Nvidia's 50-series GPUs prime real estate for scalpers, no matter how many precautions are taken. There's already a ridiculously overpriced listing on eBay for an RTX 5090 at a whopping $6,750, a 237% increase over its already expensive listing price of $1,999.
If the $999 RTX 5080 sees a similar increase, the GPU could be priced at $3,367 by scalpers selling via eBay.
Although it'll be difficult to get your hands on a new 50-series GPU, it's not impossible. Here are a few tips to help set you up for success at launch.
Tips for picking up an RTX 50-series GPU at launch
Decide where you want to try and buy your GPU from, and find out if the site has a special reservation process or pre-order availability. For example, Best Buy has listed updated its reservation process to include requiring an account to purchase the item and confirm your preferred pickup and shipping locations are accurate. These are two things you can do well ahead of launch tomorrow.
Another trick to checkout faster is to save your card details in your browser, or via the site you plan to purchase through. Since it's a big purchase, it wouldn't hurt to reach out to your bank prior to launch and let them know your plans so the transaction won't be flagged and prevent you from checking out quickly.
Where to buy a Nvidia RTX 5080 GPU
There are multiple unique configurations of Nvidia's RTX 5080 GPU to choose from via different brands. So although stock is limited for each GPU, there will still be a healthy amount of GPUs to pick from, which will hopefully help with stock issues at least a little bit.
