People Are Already Camping Out for an Nvidia RTX 5090, Despite Retailer Warning About the January Cold

The excitement for Nvidia's new GPU generation is palpable as the launch date of January 30 approaches, bringing with it the much-anticipated RTX 5090 and RTX 5080. In our RTX 5090 review, we've hailed it as "the fastest graphics card on the consumer market," fueling the already intense anticipation surrounding these high-end graphics cards. Priced at $2,000 for the RTX 5090 and $1,000 for the RTX 5080, they command premium prices that don't seem to dampen consumer enthusiasm. However, whispers of tight stock, especially for the RTX 5090, with a UK retailer claiming to have only "single digit" units, have added to the frenzy.

The fervor has led to eager fans camping outside Micro Center's Tustin location in California days before the launch. Images circulating on Reddit and the Unofficial Micro Center Discord channel show tents filled with hopefuls, sparking speculation about potential scalpers looking to profit from the expected low stock. One camper took to a Reddit thread to clarify their intentions, 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."

The atmosphere among those waiting, now up to 10 tents and around 24 people according to the Unofficial Micro Center Discord channel, is reported to be amicable and respectful. Despite this, Micro Center has publicly discouraged camping outside their stores for the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 in a YouTube video, citing the cold January weather as a concern.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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Camping outside for a new graphics card is not a new phenomenon at Micro Center, as documented by YouTuber Austin Evans during the RTX 3070 launch at the same Tustin location in 2020. Micro Center has outlined a first-come-first-serve voucher system for the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 purchases, with no choice in the specific model of GPU available to those in line. The company limits purchases to one card per customer and, while discouraging camping, advises early arrivals to avoid disappointment.