The price increase for the RTX 5090 has peaked as demand for Nvidia’s most powerful consumer-grade graphics card is dominated by AI labs. Introduced in January 2025 with a starting price of $1,999, this hardware is now selling for between $6,000 and $9,000.

Equipped with Nvidia’s GB202 chip based on Blackwell architecture and 32GB of GDDR7 memory, the RTX 5090 offers a very attractive option for both gamers and AI developers. However, the intense purchase of these cards by data center operators has led to the near depletion of stocks on the market.

Stock Issues and AI Suspicions

Photos shared by Hong Kong-based HKEPC and subsequently picked up by numerous technology publications showed boxed RTX 5090 cards being held in pallets in AI server storage areas. These images were presented as significant evidence of why the cards sold out so quickly.

However, significant doubts were raised about the authenticity of these images. Kevin Hofer from Swiss retailer Digitec, after examining the text on the box, stated that these images may have been created using AI tools.

Platforms like Twitter also added warnings that the image was generated by AI. This situation created a speculative environment that triggered FOMO (fear of missing out) in the market, causing prices to rise even further.

Technical Restrictions and Market Dynamics

Nvidia’s GeForce driver license agreement has included a clause prohibiting data center deployments since 2017. The company previously implemented technical restrictions, such as LHR, to prevent cryptocurrency mining on the RTX 3000 series.

The RTX 5090 D model was specifically designed to limit AI performance in order to comply with export restrictions in China. However, despite these restrictions, the high computing power offered by the RTX 5090 makes it a much more economical alternative compared to professional cards like the RTX PRO 6000, which can cost up to $16,000.

Some Chinese manufacturers are reportedly adding 96GB of VRAM to RTX 5090 cards, making this hardware even more efficient for AI processes. These modifications further increase the card’s market value, making it a hard-to-find product.

It remains unclear what strategy Nvidia will pursue in response to this situation, or when stocks will return to normal. What are your thoughts on the astronomical prices the RTX 5090 has reached under current market conditions?