Nvidia RTX 5090 eBay Price Hits $9,000 Amid User Revolt Using Framed Photos to Outsmart Bots

The much-anticipated RTX 5090 and 5080 GPUs have finally hit the market, causing a frenzy among tech enthusiasts and professionals alike. These high-performance, high-priced graphics cards quickly sold out at major retail outlets, leaving many eager buyers disappointed. The scarcity has led to a significant problem: scalping. On resale platforms like eBay, the RTX 5090, in particular, is being sold at exorbitant prices. Initially, these GPUs were being resold for over $6,000, but the prices have since escalated to a staggering peak of $9,000, a 350% markup from the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $1,999.

The demand for the RTX 5090 goes beyond gaming; it's also highly sought after for AI workloads. Startups and businesses in the AI sector are eager to acquire these GPUs to run models locally. With Nvidia's Datacenter GPUs often out of reach for smaller entities, the RTX 5090 becomes a viable, albeit expensive, alternative.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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In response to the supply shortage and scalping, the gaming community has taken a creative yet satirical approach. eBay is now rife with deceptive listings, where scammers are selling photos of the RTX 5090 rather than the actual GPUs. One such listing humorously warns potential buyers: "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 listing, which sold for $2,457, clearly states: “Geforce RTX 5090 (read description) Picture Only - Not the Actual Item,” and notes that no refunds will be given for the image, which is not the actual RTX 5090.

The underlying issue fueling this situation is 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 still trailing behind, Nvidia holds a commanding position. The shortage of cards combined with the soaring prices presents a challenging landscape for high-end PC builders and enthusiasts looking to upgrade their systems.