Nvidia RTX 5090 eBay Price Soars to $9,000 as Users Revolt With Framed Photo Listings to Trick Bots and Scalpers

The much-anticipated RTX 5090 and 5080 GPUs finally hit the market yesterday, creating a frenzy among tech enthusiasts and professionals alike. These high-powered and high-priced graphics cards quickly became a hot commodity, selling out at most retail channels and leaving many potential buyers disappointed.

As a result, both GPUs, particularly the RTX 5090, have fallen victim to heavy scalping on resale platforms like eBay. Shortly after their launch, RTX 5090s were being resold for over $6,000, with prices now soaring to a staggering peak of $9,000. This represents a 350% markup from the GPU’s manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $1,999.

So, why are people willing to pay such exorbitant prices? The RTX 5090 is not just a powerhouse for gaming but also excels in AI workloads. This makes it highly desirable for startups and businesses in the AI sector looking to run models locally. With Nvidia’s Datacenter GPUs often out of reach for many, the RTX 5090 emerges as the next best option, regardless of its inflated aftermarket price.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

5 Images

However, the gaming community isn't taking the supply shortage and scalpers lying down. eBay is now rife with fake listings designed to deceive eager buyers into purchasing an image of the RTX 5090, rather than the actual card.

One listing humorously notes: "Bots and scalpers welcome, do not buy if you are a human, you will be getting a framed photo of the 5090, you will not receive the 5090. The photo dimensions are 8 inches by 8 inches, I got the frame from Target. DO NOT BUY IF YOU’RE A HUMAN."

Another sold listing for $2,457 reads: "Geforce RTX 5090 (read description) Picture Only - Not the Actual Item," with a similar disclaimer that no refunds will be issued for the image, which is not the RTX 5090 itself.

The underlying issue stems from the lack of competition in the high-end consumer GPU market. With AMD’s RX 9070 series unlikely to challenge Nvidia’s dominance in terms of performance, and Intel trailing behind, Nvidia holds a commanding position. The shortage of cards combined with their staggering price points presents a challenging scenario for high-end PC builders and enthusiasts.