Nvidia RTX 5090 Campers Brave January Cold Despite Retailer Warnings

The launch of Nvidia's new GPU generation is set to occur on January 30, with the highly anticipated RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 hitting the market. Our RTX 5090 review has dubbed it "the fastest graphics card on the consumer market," fueling excitement among enthusiasts and gamers alike. Priced at $2,000 for the RTX 5090 and $1,000 for the RTX 5080, these high-end GPUs come with a hefty price tag, yet demand remains incredibly high. However, rumors suggest that stock will be limited, with a UK retailer claiming they have only "single digit" stock for the RTX 5090.

This scarcity has led to eager fans camping outside Micro Center’s Tustin location in California days before the launch. Images of tents have surfaced on Reddit and the Unofficial Micro Center Discord channel, raising concerns that some might be scalpers looking to capitalize on the low stock. A Reddit thread features a camper from the second tent stating, "Hello everyone, I’m the guy that you guys are talking about in the second tent. And yes, we are buying it for our own use, no trades and no sells. We just don’t want to pay for that extra $ for a gaming card and yes we do have some times on our hands because we run a business. Good luck to everyone who are trying to get one." They also emphasized the respectful atmosphere among the campers.

Currently, there are approximately 10 tents and 24 people waiting at the Tustin Micro Center, according to the Unofficial Micro Center Discord channel. Despite this, Micro Center has released a YouTube video discouraging camping outside in the cold January weather, stating, "We do discourage camping at our locations for the 5090 and 5080."

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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Camping for new GPUs at Micro Center is not a new phenomenon; YouTuber Austin Evans documented a similar scene during the RTX 3070 launch in 2020 at the same Tustin location. Micro Center has outlined its launch strategy, which includes a first-come-first-serve voucher system. Customers in line will not have the option to choose specific GPU models, and only one card per customer will be allowed. Although they discourage camping, Micro Center advises arriving early to avoid disappointment.