People Are Already Camping Out for an Nvidia RTX 5090, Despite Retailer Warning About the January Cold

The highly anticipated launch of Nvidia's RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs on January 30th has ignited a frenzy among gamers. Our RTX 5090 review hailed it as the fastest consumer graphics card, fueling immense excitement. However, limited stock is anticipated, with reports suggesting extremely low availability, particularly for the RTX 5090.

The premium pricing – $2,000 for the RTX 5090 and $1,000 for the RTX 5080 – hasn't dampened enthusiasm. This has led to an unusual sight: people camping outside a Micro Center store in Tustin, California, days before the launch.

Images circulating on Reddit and the Unofficial Micro Center Discord server show numerous tents pitched outside the store. While some claim to be genuine buyers, concerns have been raised about potential scalpers aiming to profit from the anticipated shortages. One camper, in a Reddit thread, asserted they are purchasing for personal use, refuting any intention to resell. However, the number of campers, estimated at around 24 individuals across 10 tents, remains significant.

Micro Center, in a YouTube video, explicitly discouraged this camping, citing the inclement January weather. Their distribution strategy involves a first-come, first-served voucher system, offering no choice of specific GPU model. A one-card-per-customer limit is in place. Despite discouraging camping, Micro Center advises early arrival to secure a purchase.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Images

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This isn't unprecedented; YouTuber Austin Evans documented similar scenes at the same Tustin location during the RTX 3070 launch in 2020. The intense demand and limited supply highlight the considerable anticipation surrounding Nvidia's newest generation of graphics cards.