Nvidia is selling RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 graphics cards from a food truck at GTC

Nvidia sells RTX 5080/5090 cards at GTC park food truck, limited stock.

: Nvidia is offering RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 graphics cards at the GPU Technology Conference through a unique method—a food truck. Sold at MSRP, the cards are only available to conference pass holders, with strict limits of one per person. In total, 2,000 units are available, distributed in bursts, exclusively for conference attendees. Meanwhile, finding these cards in retail or online remains challenging, with significant markups in other venues.

In an unconventional move, Nvidia has begun selling its cutting-edge RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 graphics cards from a food truck parked at the Nvidia GPU Technology Conference (GTC). This quirky sales tactic caters to tech enthusiasts attending the event, offering these sought-after graphics cards at their manufacturer suggested retail prices (MSRP) of $999 and $1,999, respectively. The availability of Nvidia's latest technology at face value is exceedingly rare in a market where these cards are scarcely found outside secondary sites that list them at much higher prices.

Sales from the Nvidia truck occur over a limited schedule, specifically from 7 AM to 12 PM on specified days within the conference: Wednesday through Friday. Customers are required to collect their purchases at the South Hall main entrance on the same day as their transaction to ensure security and logistical efficiency. This exclusive sale opportunity is only available to those holding a conference pass, priced at $1,145 for a single day or $2,295 for a comprehensive five-day pass.

A total of 2,000 graphics cards are available for sale—comprising 1,000 of each model. To maintain fairness amidst overwhelming demand, each conference participant is allowed to purchase just one card. As articulated by Tom's Hardware, the distribution strategy involves releasing the cards in increments, such as an initial batch of 90 RTX 5090s made available for 30-minute windows at onsite gear stores.

This exclusive sale is designed to cater primarily to software developers and industry professionals attending the conference, with everyday consumers finding it nearly impossible to purchase these models directly from authorized retailers. The challenge extends to retail settings, where acquiring a pre-built PC containing an RTX 5090 from retailers like Best Buy could cost consumers as much as $6,000—a price significantly higher than acquiring the graphics card and components individually.

Additionally, in the broader market context, Asus's price increase on its graphics series has exacerbated the situation for consumers and system builders alike. Among the disclosures at GTC, Nvidia announced its future lineup of AI-accelerating GPUs, including the Blackwell Ultra, Vera Rubin, Rubin Ultra, and Feynman, slated for release between 2025 and 2028. Such announcements signify Nvidia's ongoing commitment to advancing GPU technology while strategically engaging its customer base through innovative marketing tactics.

Sources: TechSpot, Tom's Hardware, NVIDIA AI Developer (X post)

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