Limited Stock Released in Korea, Leading to Shortages
Additional Online Retail Restocks Expected
Prices Projected to Rise Due to Supply Shortages
Despite the rise of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek's AI model, NVIDIA's latest consumer graphics processing unit (GPU) 'RTX 50' series sold out in less than 10 minutes on its first day of sales in South Korea.
According to the IT industry on the 31st, domestic hardware distributors began selling the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 through online shopping malls from 11 p.m. the previous night. The RTX 50 series is a graphics card based on NVIDIA's next-generation chipset Blackwell RTX architecture, featuring the latest version of the AI-powered image enhancement technology Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) called 'DLSS 4.'
The domestic consumer prices were about 30% higher than the official prices announced by NVIDIA at CES 2025, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition held in the United States earlier this month. The RTX 5080, announced with a launch price of $999 (approximately 1.44 million KRW), was sold for 1.86 million KRW domestically, while the RTX 5090, priced at $1,999 (approximately 2.88 million KRW), was sold for 3.67 million KRW.
The quantity of RTX 5090 and 5080 units released in South Korea was reportedly very limited, with only about 5 to 10 units per online retailer. As a result, despite the high prices, the products sold out quickly right after the launch. Various communities such as 'Clien' and 'QuasarZone' posted comments like "I refreshed before 11 o'clock and clicked to purchase as soon as it appeared" and "Sold out in one second."
Although the prices of RTX 50 series currently listed on online secondhand sites exceed the domestic launch prices, consumers expect the secondhand prices to rise further in the future. Some retailers have announced additional stock arrivals in early next month, but a shortage of supply and price increases are expected for the time being.
An NVIDIA Korea official explained, "It seems that the sold-out phenomenon is occurring because the products are imported through distributors in Korea. I heard that the supply is not large," adding, "The headquarters does not manage the domestic supply separately."
The RTX 50 has been praised for improved price-to-performance compared to the previous generation, gaining popularity worldwide. Images of people camping overnight in front of an electronics store in the United States to buy the RTX 50 series were even posted on the overseas online community 'Reddit.'
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