NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5090 "release chaos" has begun, as multiple incidents now indicate significantly low inventory, followed by consumer frustration around the launch.
NVIDIA's Flagship RTX Blackwell GPU Witnesses Tremendous Demand, Low Stock Now Creating Frustration Among Buyers
Well, we have made our readers aware of the fact that Team Green's RTX Blackwell GPUs will come with some of the lowest inventory levels we have seen. NVIDIA did make this clear before releasing the initial batch of SKUs, but it seems like consumer anticipation levels went way too high, which is why we are now seeing "inventory chaos" in retailers, and an interesting situation has emerged in Japan. According to @sarasteam0151, Japanese consumers looking to get their hands on the NVIDIA's RTX 5090 went "rogue," and there were incidents of disorder at the launch.
パソコン工房パーツ館でRTX5090の抽選の呼びかけが始まりましたが、現場は大混乱しております。
怒号が飛び交い、あろうことか隣の幼稚園の柵に登る人まで出る始末。#RTX5090 pic.twitter.com/BIPOLdXays— 立山登 (@sarasteam0151) January 30, 2025
Japanese retailers implemented a "lottery" system for early buyers of the GeForce RTX 5090 in order to provide everyone with an equal chance and to reduce the risk of SKUs getting into the hands of scalpers. However, it seemed like that hasn't worked out, as the event reportedly saw chaos coming from early customers, with some of them even jumping to the fence of a kindergarten next to the retail center, expressing their frustration towards the situation.
Only 4 RTX 5090s! Team member Chris is at a Brooklin Micro Center on the quest for a RTX 5090 pic.twitter.com/fIgk0qexxN
— PC Builder (@PCBuilderJason) January 30, 2025
Not just in Japan, but the retail situation in markets like the US is pretty alarming, as it is claimed that stores like MicroCenter are allocated units in "single-digits" of the NVIDIA's RTX 5090.To top it all off, campers showed up at retail sites days before the official launch, which meant that SKUs getting into the hands of an average consumer is simply impossible for now. This is undoubtedly disappointing for many fans out there looking to get RTX Blackwell on day one, but that's how it is for now.
For those unaware of why inventory levels are way too low this time, it seems like NVIDIA's decision to integrate GDDR7 memory modules is a primary catalyst for this. Moreover, with AIB partners getting slim margins with the RTX 50 series GPUs, they are also looking to sell their stock at prices above MSRP, which is why the on-launch situation is such chaos. For now, we advice consumers to wait for inventory to reach back to its optimal state, which could take weeks, and by then, we might have AMD's RX 9070 series GPUs in the market as well.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
