Nvidia RTX 5090 Campers Brave January Cold Despite Retailer Warnings

The anticipation for Nvidia's latest GPU generation is palpable as the launch date of January 30 approaches. The RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 are set to hit the market, with our RTX 5090 review dubbing it "the fastest graphics card on the consumer market." Priced at $2,000 for the RTX 5090 and $1,000 for the RTX 5080, these high-end graphics cards come with equally high-end price tags. Yet, the excitement around these GPUs remains undeterred, despite rumors of extremely limited stock. A UK retailer has claimed to have only "single digit" stock for the RTX 5090, fueling the frenzy even further.

The eagerness to secure these GPUs has led to some dedicated 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 set up outside the store, raising concerns that scalpers might be among those waiting to capitalize on the anticipated low stock. A Reddit user from one of the tents stated, “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.” They also mentioned that the atmosphere among the campers was "very nice and respectful." As of now, around 24 people in 10 tents are waiting at the Tustin location.

In response to the camping, Micro Center released a YouTube video outlining their launch strategy for the RTX 5090 and 5080, explicitly discouraging camping. “We do discourage camping at our locations for the 5090 and 5080," the company stated. Despite this, the allure of these powerful GPUs continues to draw crowds.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Photos

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The phenomenon of camping for new GPUs at Micro Center is not new. YouTuber Austin Evans captured similar scenes at the same Tustin location during the RTX 3070 launch in 2020. Micro Center plans to distribute the GPUs on a first-come-first-serve basis using a voucher system. Customers waiting in line will not have a choice in the specific model of GPU they can purchase, and only one card per customer is allowed. Despite discouraging camping, Micro Center advises early arrivals to avoid disappointment.