AI firms caught bulk buying Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 gaming GPUs for AI servers
AI firms are bulk-buying Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090, and that’s the reason why gamers can’t afford it anymore
Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090 has seen its retail pricing inflate to an insane degree. Right now, the cheapest RTX 5090 GPU model in the UK is £3,939.98. That’s more than double Nvidia’s £1,799 MSRP. Now, the reason behind this insane pricing seems clear. Alleged “Chinese vendors” are buying RTX 5090 GPUs in bulk and are using them to assemble AI workstations.
Leaked images from HKEPC have showcased stacks of GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards from various brands. Another image shows stacks of GPUs beside what appears to be AI workstations. This suggests Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090 is being used as a dedicated datacenter GPU, acting as an alternative to RTX PRO 6000 series GPUs. The volume of GPUs used for this purpose is likely why these GPUs are in short supply in the consumer PC market and why they currently sell for more than 2x their MSRP.
(Images from HKEPC)
These GPUs shouldn’t even be in China
Many PC enthusiasts will know that Nvidia’s RTX 5090 graphics card isn’t officially available in China. Instead, China has Nvidia’s RTX 5090D V2, a version of the RTX 5090 with less VRAM and nerfed AI performance. US export restrictions have banned Nvidia’s RTX 5090 in China. Based on HKEPC’s leaked images, Chinese server manufacturers can buy Nvidia’s RTX 5090 in bulk from unknown sources. Clearly, the US’ export restrictions aren’t working, and neither Nvidia nor its partners are managing their supply chains well enough to prevent these exports.
With today’s pricing, Nvidia’s RTX 5090 isn’t a product that gamers should consider buying. The GPU’s performance doesn’t justify its price. For the same cost, gamers could buy three RTX 5080 GPUs and have money to spare. That’s plenty of gaming performance for most users and highlights how poor the RTX 5090’s value proposition is right now.
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中國很多廠商會在各地收購 RTX 5090 並組裝成 AI 工作站出售。 pic.twitter.com/AssaXEylJ0
— HKEPC (@hkepcmedia) September 10, 2026
