Are AI companies buying gaming graphics cards by the pallet now?
These are images reminiscent of the crypto boom: hundreds of RTX 5090s are ready to be installed in multi-GPU systems. This time, not for mining, but for AI. However, it remains unclear whether the photos are genuine.
The ROG Astral RTX 5090 cost 2800 francs at its launch in February 2025. By the beginning of August 2026, it was just under 3700, and by mid-September, it is over 5300 francs. So far, the memory crisis has primarily been blamed for the high prices. Companies like Nvidia are no longer focusing on gamers, but on AI with dedicated products. As a result, gaming graphics cards are becoming a rare commodity and more expensive. Now, another factor has been added.
Images from the Hong Kong-based technology and computer online media outlet HKEPC show masses of RTX 5090 graphics cards that are – supposedly – being installed in racks for AI use.
Source: HKEPC
Open questions regarding authenticity
Here are two objections to the images. First, it is not clear whether the photos actually come from AI companies that are using the cards accordingly. Second, it is also not clear to me whether the images are real. Regarding the image above, I suspect it was generated with AI. Just look at the stack on the right; there are indications in the lettering that the image was generated with AI:
Source: HKEPC
The cover image above, however, looks authentic, which in turn speaks for the veracity of the news from HKEPC.
Gaming cards, but not for gamers
The photos were allegedly taken at companies that assemble AI servers. Pallets full of new RTX 5090 graphics cards can be seen. Original packaging and just waiting to be installed. Mind you, these are not RTX PRO 6000s or other dedicated data center accelerators. These are the same GeForce cards that Nvidia sells to you and me as gaming hardware.
Why an RTX 5090 of all things and not dedicated cards? With 32 GB of GDDR7 and 1792 GB/s bandwidth, an RTX 5090 is sufficient for inference. Furthermore, data center accelerators are sold out for months, while GeForce cards are on the shelf. However, according to Nvidia's End User License Agreement, GeForce cards are not even allowed to be used for server operations – with the exception of blockchain and crypto mining.
The crypto boom is back, only the task has changed
During the crypto boom, mining companies bought GeForce cards on a large scale while gamers searched in vain for normal prices. At the time, Nvidia reacted with so-called Lite Hash Rate versions of several RTX 30 cards, which throttled Ethereum mining performance without affecting gaming performance. Although the restriction was largely bypassed in 2022, it at least made the LHR models less attractive to large miners for almost a year.
Now it's AI instead of crypto. But the result for you looks suspiciously similar. Strikingly, there are no China-specific RTX 5090 D variants to be seen in the new images. Nvidia had already throttled the AI performance of the RTX 5090 D to comply with US export regulations, while the gaming specifications remained largely intact.
So Nvidia knows exactly how to make a gaming card less attractive for certain AI workloads without cutting gaming performance. The manufacturer did nothing. Why would they: whether the card ends up in your case or in a server rack doesn't change Nvidia's margin. As long as that remains the case, the RTX 5090 will technically remain a gaming card – but it is no longer affordable for gamers.
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