Nvidia RTX 5090 Campers Brave January Cold Despite Retailer Warnings

The excitement surrounding the launch of Nvidia's new GPU generation is palpable, with the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 set to be released on January 30. Our RTX 5090 review hailed it as "the fastest graphics card on the consumer market," fueling the frenzy for these high-end graphics cards. Priced at $2,000 for the RTX 5090 and $1,000 for the RTX 5080, these GPUs are not for the faint-hearted, but that hasn't dampened the enthusiasm. Rumors suggest that stock will be extremely limited, with a UK retailer claiming they have only "single digit" stock for the RTX 5090.

The anticipation has led to eager customers camping outside Micro Center’s Tustin location in California, days before the launch. Photos shared on Reddit and the Unofficial Micro Center Discord channel show tents and people waiting to secure their GPUs, sparking speculation about scalpers trying to capitalize on the low stock. One camper clarified in a thread on Reddit, "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 added that everyone at the camp is "very nice and respectful." According to the Micro Center Unofficial Discord channel, there are now up to 10 tents with around 24 people waiting for the launch.

In preparation, Micro Center has shared its launch strategy for the RTX 5090 and 5080 via a YouTube video, advising against camping due to the cold January weather. "We do discourage camping at our locations for the 5090 and 5080," the company stated. Yet, the sight of campers isn't new at Micro Center, as evidenced by YouTuber Austin Evans during the RTX 3070 launch at the same Tustin location in 2020.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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Purchases will be managed on a first-come-first-serve basis using a voucher system, with no choice in the specific GPU model available to those in line. Customers are limited to one card each, and although Micro Center discourages camping, they recommend arriving early to avoid disappointment.