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 hit the market yesterday, instantly becoming the talk of the town among tech enthusiasts and professionals alike. These high-performance, yet high-priced, graphics cards have quickly sold out across major retail channels, leaving many eager buyers disappointed and searching for alternatives.

The scarcity of these GPUs, particularly the RTX 5090, has led to a rampant scalping situation on resale platforms like eBay. Within hours of their launch, RTX 5090s were being resold for over $6,000, and prices have since escalated to a staggering peak of $9,000—a 350% markup from the original MSRP of $1,999. This exorbitant pricing reflects not only the demand from gamers but also from those in the AI sector, where the RTX 5090's capabilities make it a valuable asset for running local AI models. For many startups and small businesses unable to afford Nvidia's Datacenter GPUs, the RTX 5090 represents the next best option, even at these inflated prices.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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In response to the supply shortage and scalping, the gaming community has taken a creative, albeit satirical, approach. eBay has become a platform for fake listings designed to trick unsuspecting buyers into purchasing images of the RTX 5090 rather than the actual card. One such listing humorously warns potential buyers, stating, "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 specifies, “Geforce RTX 5090 (read description) Picture Only - Not the Actual Item,” with a similar no-refund policy for the image, emphasizing that it is not the actual RTX 5090.

The underlying issue stems from the lack of competition in the high-end consumer GPU market. With AMD's RX 9070 series unable to challenge Nvidia's performance dominance, and Intel trailing behind, Nvidia holds a firm grip on the market. The shortage of cards combined with such high prices paints a challenging picture for high-end PC builders and enthusiasts, highlighting the need for more competitive options in the GPU market.