Nvidia’s Roller Coaster: The Elusive Founders Edition Cards Vanish Again

In light of all the leaks and facts related to Nvidia graphics cards, it’s unsurprising that users and media have again turned their attention to the unavailability of Founders Edition cards. Reportedly, Nvidia’s online store restocked these adapters in Europe for the first time in a month and a half.

However, the restock was so minimal that it took only 20 minutes for these stocks to be completely sold out. Specifically, all RTX 5090 FE cards sold out in 7 minutes, while all RTX 5080 FE cards were gone in 19 minutes. At least they were genuinely available at recommended prices: 2100 and 1100 euros ($2295 and $1202) respectively. This is noteworthy since, in Europe now, you can purchase an RTX 5090 for a minimum of 3500 euros ($3822), and RTX 5080s are selling for 1300-1400 euros ($1419-$1528).

How many cards were available is unknown, but this situation resembles the RTX 30 generation during the GPU mining boom. Experts suggest that the performance leap observed in the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, featuring improved ray tracing capabilities and enhanced AI processing power, could be increasing their demand further.

According to industry analysts, the scarcity might also be influenced by global semiconductor shortages and increased demand for cutting-edge graphics technology in gaming and AI research. The RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, touted for their substantial performance boosts and energy efficiency, are regarded as top-tier options for serious gamers and professionals alike.