Get your money ready — NVIDIA is launching the flagship GeForce RTX 5090 and the sibling GeForce RTX 5080 today at 9 AM ET / 3 PM CET. I’m here to help you buy one of the new “Blackwell” GPUs on launch day, but I’m warning you that it won’t be easy.
NVIDIA’s new GPUs have received a lot of attention since they were announced at CES, and not all of it has been positive. Evidence continues to pile up regarding stock shortages, to the point where some retailers only have single-digit stock. While the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 might not be as tempting for those already on a 40-series card — especially with the $1,999 and $999 Founders Edition MSRPs — demand will be high from any enthusiasts looking to upgrade an older GPU.
I’ve been keeping a close eye on stock listings in the week leading up to launch, and I’ve found the best retailers with NVIDIA RTX 5000 GPUs listed and ready to go.
My colleagues and I are here for launch day to provide live prices, ongoing availability, and any other pertinent news that can help you land a new RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 on launch day.
RTX 5090 quick links (US)
RTX 5090 quick links (UK)
Fans of NVIDIA’s Founders Edition cards — the hardware that board partners tweak and build on to create their own versions — should have the best luck on launch day by shopping at NVIDIA’s official website in the US and UK or Best Buy for US shoppers.
A limited supply means you might have the most competition in this area. If you don’t manage to snag an FE version of the RTX 5090, there are plenty of custom cards also launching on January 30. Availability will differ depending on the retailer. I’ve been sure to note which retailers have third-party cards, as well as which brands are on offer.
RTX 5080 quick links (US)
RTX 5080 quick links (UK)
- NVIDIA Store: Founders Edition RTX 5080 at launch
- Newegg: No listings yet, but expect custom cards
- Overclockers UK: Custom cards from partners listed
- Scan: Cards from ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, PNY, ZOTAC, and more
- Ebuyer: Cards from ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, PNY listed
- Amazon: No RTX 5080 listings yet, but expect some at launch
As with the RTX 5090, the RTX 5080 is launching with a Founders Edition available at NVIDIA’s store as well as at certain third-party retailers.
You can also expect some custom RTX 5080 cards available at third-party retailers. I’ve included them here, along with the listed brands. I start with US retailers before laying out the UK retailers stocking the RTX 5080.
What to expect at NVIDIA’s RTX 50 Series launch
NVIDIA’s RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 are both launching on January 30, 2025. If you’re hoping to land one of the new GPUs as soon as possible, prepare to temper your expectations. As I wrote in a separate news piece, RTX 5000 stock shortages are rumored to be serious.
In fact, some insiders from system integrators and major retailers are claiming that it’ll be the worst-ever launch for NVIDIA GPU availability. Overclockers UK, for example, apparently has only single-digit stock of the RTX 5090, with the RTX 5080 sitting in the hundreds. It’s not looking much better in the US, with as few as four (4) RTX 5080s stocked in some stores.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 retailers (US)
NVIDIA’s storefront is the first place to shop for the RTX 5090 Founders Edition.
Newegg has third-party RTX 5090 GPU listings from ASUS, MSI, and ZOTAC.
Best Buy so far only has a listing for the RTX 5090 Founders Edition card.
B&H is another trusted retailer with custom cards at launch.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 retailers (UK)
As in the US, the first place to shop in the UK is at NVIDIA’s website.
Scan has RTX 5090 GPUs from ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, PNY, and ZOTAC.
Ebuyer has listings for the RTX 5090 from ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI.
Newegg hasn’t listed any models, but that’s expected to change.
Amazon UK has also yet to list RTX 5090 GPUs, but check back often.
NVIDIA RTX 5090: FAQ
When does the RTX 5090 launch?
The NVIDIA RTX 5090 is set to launch on January 30 at 9 AM EST / 3 PM CET. You’ll want to be quick with the clicks, as it’s rumored that RTX 5090 stock will not be plentiful at launch.
How much does the RTX 5090 cost?
The NVIDIA RTX 5090 Founders Edition costs $1,999 USD or £1,939. Prices for the custom cards from NVIDIA’s partners have yet to be announced. Expect a mix of cheaper and more expensive prices depending on the make and model of the RTX 5090 in question.
Is the RTX 5090 for you?
Want the most powerful GPU on the market? Don’t care that it costs $1,999? If you’re an enthusiast gamer, scientist, artist, or AI professional, the RTX 5090 is no doubt looking quite attractive. It’s a harder sell if you already have an RTX 4090, but even then, NVIDIA is promising twice as much performance compared to the RTX 4080 SUPER from the Ada generation.
I wrote a separate piece regarding reasons to and reasons not to buy the RTX 5090, which can hopefully help you make the right (and final) decision.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 retailers (US)
NVIDIA is the first place to check out if you want the Founders Edition.
Newegg has RTX 5080 listings for ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and ZOTAC.
B&H has listings up for RTX 5080 custom cards from ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and PNY.
I’m not yet seeing any RTX 5080 listings at Amazon, but I’m expecting them to show up.
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 retailers (UK)
I recommend checking NVIDIA first if you want a Founders Edition card.
Overclockers UK has listings from ASUS, Gainward, Gigabyte, Inno3D, MSI, Palit, PNY, and ZOTAC.
Scan lists RTX 5080 custom cards from ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, Palit, PNY, and ZOTAC.
You can find RTX 5080 custom cards from ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and PNY at Ebuyer in the UK.
There aren’t yet any RTX 5080 listings live at Newegg in the UK, but that’s expected to change.
There are yet to be listings for the RTX 5080 at Amazon in the UK, but I expect them to start showing up.
NVIDIA RTX 5080: FAQ
When does the RTX 5080 launch?
The NVIDIA RTX 5080 is expected to launch alongside its RTX 5090 sibling on January 30 at 9 AM EST / 3 PM CET. Like the powerful flagship card, the RTX 5080 isn’t expected to have a ton of stock at launch. You’ll want to be quick to checkout if you can’t live without a new GPU on launch day.
How much does the RTX 5080 cost?
NVIDIA’s RTX 5080 Founders Edition is launching at $999 in the US and £979 in the UK. Custom cards will likely be a mixture of higher and lower prices depending on the brand.
Is the RTX 5080 for you?
NVIDIA’s RTX 5080 should prove to be a lot more popular than the RTX 5090, especially considering it only costs half as much. It should have more than enough power for 4K gaming, and DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation will be humming thanks to the upgraded performance hardware inside. If you want ultimate gaming power without seriously damaging your wallet, this is the way to go.
Should you buy an RTX 5090?
My colleague, Windows Central Senior Editor Ben Wilson, reviewed the RTX 5090 favorably, scoring it a full five stars and handing it a Windows Central Best Award. However, the $1,999 MSRP is certainly going to keep it out of the hands of most PC users. Wilson states:
“While NVIDIA’s admirable efforts to redesign and slim down its flagship GeForce RTX graphics card have paid off with a performance bump comparable to its MSRP, it’s still practically impossible to recommend the RTX 5090 FE to any levelheaded PC gamer. Sure, it’s technically the best in its category; this stands as the world’s best consumer GPU, but the RTX 5080 remains a more sensible high-end pick for anyone who isn’t in a professional field working with AI. Even if you found it at MSRP, I’d still recommend a third-party RTX 5090 with a more robust triple-fan setup to avoid the Founders Edition’s increased temperatures.”
With the RTX 5080 launching on the same day for half the price, it should prove to be a lot more sought-after than the RTX 5090.
Should you buy an RTX 5080?
The RTX 5080 is the other GPU launching on January 30, and its much more reasonable $999 MSRP should make it far more attractive for gamers than the RTX 5090. Whether or not you’re able to buy one on launch day will come down to timing and luck.
As Windows Central Senior Editor Ben Wilson mentions in his NVIDIA RTX 5080 review, the new Blackwell GPU isn’t worth it if you already own an RTX 4080 Super or RTX 4090. That’s especially true if you prefer “brute force rendering” rather than heavy reliance on upscaling and frame generation from new DLSS 4 features.
Assuming you can find an RTX 5080 at MSRP and you’re coming from an older generation (or a lesser card), it starts to look more attractive. Wilson remarks:
“Even an RTX 4080 SUPER will drain your account of around $1,000, so choosing a current-gen card makes more sense, especially one with a slim redesign and modified power connectors that should, in theory, remedy the issue of melting cables. In a pure numbers game, the RTX 5080 Founders Edition comes out as the new king of the hill for sane gamers, offering a reasonable high-end without needing to spring for the absurd $1,999 MSRP of an RTX 5090 FE.”
Keep in mind that NVIDIA still plans on launching the $749 RTX 5070 Ti and $549 RTX 5070 in February.
What about pre-built PCs with RTX 5090 and RTX 5080?
With rumored stock shortages in play, those who don’t manage to land a standalone RTX 5090 or RTX 5080 on launch day — or in the weeks following — might be tempted to instead buy a pre-built gaming PC with the desired hardware inside.
Maingear and iBuyPower, two brands with which I’ve had a positive experience, currently have pre-built RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 PCs for sale.
Maingear has custom MG-1, custom Zero, and custom North PCs with the RTX 5080 inside — it doesn’t yet look like there’s an RTX 5090 option. iBuyPower, at the time of writing, is featuring four different pre-built PCs with the RTX 5080 or RTX 5090 inside.
The pre-built PCs aren’t launching any sooner than the standalone RTX 5000 GPUs, but you might find better availability after the standalone cards sell out.
In the UK, Scan and Ebuyer are now also listing pre-built desktop PCs with the RTX 5090 and RTX 5090 inside. You’ll have to wait for the GPU launch just like the standalone cards, but they might turn out to be the best way to get the new hardware at launch.
