Some gamers will do anything for a new Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card, it seems. We’re only a few days away from the official retail launch date for both the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs, but keen enthusiasts are already camping outside brick-and-mortar stores in an effort to secure one as soon as possible.
Camping out for a big product launch might seem excessive, but gamers looking for the best graphics card might have no choice if they want to get their hands on this new Nvidia flagship card. RTX 5090 stock is expected to be low on launch, and with demand set to be very high, it could be tricky to get hold of these GPUs yourself.
Reports of these happy campers reached the r/Microcenter subreddit, where a recent Reddit post showed a picture of tents already pitching up outside a Micro Center store in Tustin, CA, four days ahead of the January 30 release date, to secure their place in line. Another image was shared in a report by IGN.
A Redditor claiming to be one of the campers has even shared their thoughts in a comment on the Reddit post, explaining that they’re “buying it for their own use” and that everyone lining up is “very nice and respectful.”
This isn’t completely unexpected. Past Nvidia releases have seen campers lining up days in advance of a launch to be one of the first to own a brand-new GPU. Scalpers, too, will want to take advantage of this process, lining up to purchase a card first to sell at an inflated price later.
On its website, Micro Center confirms that it intends to use a “voucher system” on launch day, with vouchers given to customers “on a first-come, first-served basis” before the store opens early at 9am EST / 6am PST. This will guarantee customers the ability to purchase a new GPU, although Micro Center won’t be able to guarantee the model.
With stock expected to be low for months, and with RTX 4090 to 4070 stock mostly gone, it’s going to be a tough few months for gamers who need a top-spec graphics card. The RTX 5090 is set to retail with an MSRP of $1,999, while the RTX 5080 should only cost $999, but we’d expect to see inflated prices across the board, especially among third-party GPUs, where pricing is typically higher than Nvidia’s set pricing.
If you’re holding out hope that you can pick up one of these new Nvidia flagship cards on the launch day, make sure to keep an eye on our where to buy 5080 page for the latest available stock levels across a range of different retailers. You can also check out our RTX 5090 review to see what we think about this incredibly powerful new Nvidia card after our initial testing.