Nvidia RTX series supply issues extend to system builders, as scalpers drive prices up

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Facepalm Nvidia has struggled with supply chain issues for nearly two months now. Despite rumors that availability is improving, scalpers continue to be a problem, frustrating both individual customers and system integrators.

PowerGPU, a system integrator, has had to raise its prices due to the difficulty in securing RTX-5090 units. Jese Martnez, CEO of PowerGPU, addressed recent allegations of price gouging in a X video, stating that his company was a victim of scalping by distributors.

Martinez explained the high prices of RTX GPUs were not due to excessive profits but rather because PowerGPU had to purchase them at inflated costs. He said that the company was being offered entry-level and mid-range RTX models at prices ranging between $3,050 and over $3,100 – significantly higher than the MSRP of $1999.

Other PC builders such as iBuyPower, Storm and other custom PC builders are also available. Similar price hikes are being experienced for the RTX-5090, with prices ranging between $2,900 and over $3,300.

A video from our CEO/founder on the RTX5090 pricing. pic.twitter.com/6GEvYFkD9K

– PowerGPU (@PowerGPU) March 13, 2025

Nvidia claims to have shipped twice as many Blackwell GPUs as Ada Lovelace GPUs within five weeks of launch. This metric is not enough to ease the frustration of customers that have been unable since launch to purchase RTX50 GPUs at recommended retail prices.

AMD’s Radeon RX9070 series launch has done better, despite not being flawless.

AMD’s Radeon RX9070 series has a slightly better availability compared to Nvidia RTX50 series, but it’s too early to tell if the MSRPs are real for most consumers. AMD made sure to have a large stock of Radeon RX9070 and 9070XT GPUs at launch and partnered up with multiple board manufacturers in order to ensure more widespread availability.

AMD’s strategy allows consumers to buy the RX9070 series more quickly and at a more stable price than Nvidia.

Because Nvidia GPUs have a higher demand not only for gaming but also for AI workloads, more people are willing to pay a premium to get the hardware.

See also: The State Of The GPU: All Faked MSRPs?

System integrators’ reputation has been tarnished by the widespread inaccessibility of Nvidia graphics cards. PowerGPU has, for example, had to wait 2-3 weeks for initial shipments. Supply is still scarce. Recent inventory updates revealed a stark difference: while approximately 70 Radeon RX9070 series GPUs were in stock, only one RTX5090 unit was.

The situation was further exacerbated when the last-generation GPU stock began to run out as early as October. Searching for older GPUs like the RTX 4090 is often fruitless, leading to “pandemic-level pricing” new GPUs. Many consumers have turned to the second-hand market where Ampere (GeForce 30, RDNA 2/3, and other GPUs are still widely available.

www.aiobserver.co

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