Nvidia RTX 5090: eBay Prices Skyrocket Amidst Framing Scam

The highly anticipated RTX 5090 and 5080 GPUs have launched, creating a frenzy in the market. Their high performance and price tag have resulted in immediate sellouts across most retail channels, leaving many potential buyers disappointed.

Consequently, both GPUs, particularly the RTX 5090, are experiencing significant price inflation on secondary marketplaces like eBay. Shortly after release, RTX 5090s were listed for over $6,000, a price that has since escalated to a shocking $9,000 – a 350% markup from the MSRP of $1,999.

This exorbitant demand stems from the RTX 5090's suitability for both gaming and demanding AI workloads. Startups and AI businesses, often unable to afford Nvidia's datacenter GPUs, see the RTX 5090 as a viable, albeit expensive, alternative for local model processing.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 – Images

5 ImagesThis supply shortage and subsequent price gouging haven't gone unnoticed. eBay is now flooded with fraudulent listings designed to deceive buyers. These listings offer what appears to be an RTX 5090, but instead deliver only a photograph of the card.

One such listing explicitly states: "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 detentions [sic] is 8 inches by 8 inches, I got the frame from Target. DO NOT BUY IF YOU’RE A HUMAN.”

Another completed listing, sold for $2,457, clearly states: “Geforce RTX 5090 (read description) Picture Only - Not the Actual Item,” with a similar disclaimer regarding non-refundable image purchases.

The core problem is the lack of substantial competition in the high-end consumer GPU market. With AMD's RX 9070 series seemingly failing to challenge Nvidia's dominance and Intel still playing catch-up, Nvidia enjoys a near monopoly. The current shortage and inflated prices paint a bleak outlook for high-end PC builders and enthusiasts.