Yesterday's Nvidia RTX 5090 graphics card launch was a little chaotic to say the least, I'm now playing whack-a-mole with stock. If you're currently looking into where to buy the RTX 5090 Founders Edition GPU, you might want to go for a nice walk instead since the FE model is practically nonexistent. Happy making do with a custom variant? Well, you might actually be in luck if you're willing to spend over $2,000.
Okay, here's the current RTX 5090 stock situation in a nutshell - Nvidia has a bunch of models by Gigabyte and Zotac listed at its own site while other retailers are working on notification systems. In the UK, the situation is slightly brighter since stores like Scan UK are actually offering pre-orders, meaning you can secure a card and spare your eyeballs from hours of doom-scroll virtual window shopping.
Nvidia's best graphics card contender might be all but AWOL right now, but I'm still here to help you buy an RTX 5090 without too much GPU grief. Chances are that over-eager buyers will start to cancel orders soon which may translate to some cards popping back up at retailers. I'm also still hopeful that the Founders Edition will pop back up somewhere, but if I were you, I'd make peace with the fact you'll likely end up with a AIB model.
Recent updates
January 31, 05:10 am ET - RTX 5090 stock is running pretty dry across the board, and while Nvidia has listed a bunch of custom models, the Founders Edition didn't really show up yesterday. I've been checking a variety of retailers just in case GPUs at MSRP become more available, and I'll be on hand to point out any easy ways to pre-order the graphics card in the US and UK.
Where to buy RTX 5090 in the US
Where to buy RTX 5090 in the UK
Where to buy RTX 5090: FAQ
Is the Is the RTX 5090 better than RTX 4090?
Armed with a shiny new Blackwell Nvidia GPU, the RTX 5090 will officially take the RTX 4090's flagship crown this January. While I'll need to put the new graphics card through my usual benchmark tests to know if it's actually better than the Lovelace model, features like DLSS 4 AI upscaling and GDDR7 VRAM give it more of an edge on paper.
Is the RTX 5090 for gaming?
The RTX 5090 will no doubt serve as a gaming GPU powerhouse, but its AI abilities mean the Blackwell graphics card will be used for much more. Running Steam games is really just the part of this $2,000 model's abilities, and unless you're building a monstrous rig that can pull off flawless 4K results and even next-gen 8K results, you might be better off looking at cheaper options like the RTX 5080 or even RTX 5070.
How much is the RTX 5090?
RTX 5090 prices start at $1,999 / £1,939, but that's if you can grab Nvidia's Founder's Edition model. Custom variants by the likes of Asus, Gigabyte, PNY and other vendors may set you back more if they include features like a factory overclock, so expect pricing to be higher than the original MSRP.
When will the RTX 5090 officially release?
Nvidia has revealed that the RTX 5090 will launch on January 30, 2025, kickstarting the next generation of Blackwell graphics cards. Those of you looking for extreme 4K performance and cutting edge AI abilities will want to jump on pre-orders ahead of that date, but cheaper options like the $549 RTX 5070 will also arrive in February.
Should you buy the RTX 5090?
The RTX 5090 will undoubtedly change PC gaming when it launches January 30, but its $2,000 price tag means it absolutely isn't for everyone. If you're planning on putting together an absurdly powerful 4K rig that can also venture into 8K territory using the power of AI, you'll ultimately end up eyeing up this card. However, if even the RTX 4090 feels like more than enough juice to run your Steam library, there are far cheaper options this generation.
During Nvidia's CES 2025 keynote, CEO Jensen Huang also unveiled the RTX 5080, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5080. Each class of card should offer up frame rates that scale with price, but even the latter 70-series card can apparently provide Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 performance. Better still, that particular model comes in at $549, so current gen 4K gaming is about to get a hell of a lot cheaper in the generation to come.
Of course, there is a slight catch, as such feats are achieved using new AI tricks made possible by Blackwell. DLSS 4 will effectively give your PC a boost by generating graphics on its behalf, with Nvidia claiming the tool can fill in 33 million pixels for every 2 million generated by your actual hardware. If you'd prefer to keep things native, the results might be slightly less impressive, but you're still going to be getting a huge performance boost across the entire Blackwell range.
It's still early days for the RTX 5090, and I'll be looking to share my own benchmarks soon. That'll ultimate paint a real performance picture that'll help you decide on whether to buy the flagship, but its price tag already suggests it's for power users and extreme PC builders alike.
Will there be cheap RTX 5090 models?
It's safe to say that cheap RTX 5090 GPUs are unlikely to exist come January 30, as even vanilla models will come in at $1,999 / £1,939. If you want to pay as little as possible for the flagship GPU, you'll want to focus on grabbing a Founder's Edition card to avoid paying beyond MSRP.
That said, there should be custom RTX 5090 graphics cards that stick to MSRP. Typically, these models avoid fancy extras like RGB lighting, factory overclocks, and extra cooling, and they're normally the first to sell out at launch. Just keep in mind that while sticking with stock specs can help you spend less, some of you might benefit from faster boost clock speeds or a triple-fan configuration, especially if pricing isn't that much more than a Founder's Edition card.
Simply put, cheap RTX 5090 graphics cards are unlikely to be a thing this year. Seeing as the GeForce RTX 4090 hasn't remotely dropped in price, I'd be willing to bet the Blackwell GPU will remain expensive for a long time, and those of you looking to spend less will want to turn your attention to the RTX 5080, RTX 4070 Ti, or RTX 4070 instead.
Looking to build an entire system? Swing by the best CPU for gaming and best RAM for vital rig parts. Alternatively, check out the best Alienware gaming PC builds if you're not into DIY.
