The highly anticipated launch of Nvidia's RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 graphics cards on January 30th has ignited a frenzy among gamers. Our RTX 5090 review hailed it as the fastest consumer graphics card on the market, fueling intense anticipation. Despite the hefty price tags—$2,000 for the RTX 5090 and $1,000 for the RTX 5080—demand is sky-high. However, reports suggest extremely limited stock, with one UK retailer claiming to have only single-digit quantities of the RTX 5090.
This scarcity has led to an unusual sight: campers have set up tents outside a Micro Center store in Tustin, California, days before the launch. Images circulating on Reddit and the Unofficial Micro Center Discord channel show multiple tents occupied by individuals awaiting the release. While some speculate these are scalpers aiming to profit from the limited supply, at least one camper on Reddit clarified they are purchasing for personal use, citing a desire to avoid inflated resale prices. They also described a respectful atmosphere among those waiting. Reports indicate as many as 10 tents and 24 people are now present.
Micro Center, in a pre-launch YouTube video, discouraged camping, advising against braving the cold January weather. Their launch strategy involves a first-come, first-served voucher system, offering no choice of specific GPU model. A one-card-per-customer limit is in place. Despite discouraging camping, Micro Center still recommends early arrival to secure a purchase.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos
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This isn't unprecedented; YouTuber Austin Evans documented similar scenes at the same Tustin location during the RTX 3070 launch in 2020.
