Nvidia RTX 5090 Campers Brave January Cold Despite Retailer Warnings

The excitement for Nvidia's upcoming GPU generation is palpable as the company gears up to launch the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 on January 30. Our RTX 5090 review dubbed it "the fastest graphics card on the consumer market," fueling the anticipation for these high-end graphics cards. Priced at $2,000 for the RTX 5090 and $1,000 for the RTX 5080, these GPUs come with a hefty price tag, yet the demand remains undeterred. Rumors suggest that stock will be scarce, with a UK retailer claiming they only have "single digit" stock for the RTX 5090.

In anticipation of the launch, eager fans have already started camping outside Micro Center’s Tustin location in California. Images of tents and campers have surfaced on Reddit and the Unofficial Micro Center Discord channel, raising concerns about potential scalpers looking to capitalize on the 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 that extra $ for a gaming card and yes we do have some time on our hands because we run a business. Good luck to everyone who is trying to get one."

The camper further emphasized the friendly atmosphere among those waiting, noting that everyone at the Tustin Micro Center store is "very nice and respectful." As of now, the number of tents has increased to 10, with approximately 24 individuals eagerly awaiting the GPU launch, according to users on the Micro Center Unofficial Discord channel.

Ahead of the launch, Micro Center shared its strategy for the RTX 5090 and 5080 in a YouTube video, explicitly discouraging camping due to the cold January weather. "We do discourage camping at our locations for the 5090 and 5080," the company stated.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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Camping for GPUs at Micro Center is not a new phenomenon, as YouTuber Austin Evans documented a similar scene at the same Tustin location during the RTX 3070 launch in 2020. For the upcoming launch, Micro Center will use a voucher system to confirm purchases on a first-come-first-serve basis. Those in line won't have the option to choose their specific GPU model, and each customer is limited to purchasing just one card. Although camping is discouraged, Micro Center advises arriving early to increase chances of securing a GPU.