Nvidia RTX 4090 Prices Are Going Up

The RTX 4090 hasn't been a difficult GPU to purchase since it launched in October 2022. Unlike the pandemic era, where GPUs were impossible to find regardless of their price or specs, the RTX 4090 was always available if you had the budget. However, there used to be a few models available either at or close to MSRP, and then several models above MSRP that were overclocked, blinged out, etc. That's changed for some reason, with cards at MSRP being almost impossible to find.

An examination of current RTX 4090 pricing reveals that only the more costly GPUs are available. In addition, since they launched, the only card always at MSRP—Nvidia's Founders Edition—has almost disappeared. This GPU was a Best Buy exclusive, and we didn't even see it come up in a search for "RTX 4090." Once we narrowed the search to "Founders Edition," it appeared and was out of stock. According to Tom's Hardware's analysis, this is a new phenomenon for the card, indicating something is going on with the supply of these GPUs.

The PNY RTX 4090 is the only version still available at MSRP, and it's also one of the smallest at just 336mm in length. Credit: Best Buy

Sure, you can still buy an RTX 4090, but if you want one at MSRP, your only option right now appears to be the PNY version at Best Buy. Over on Amazon and Newegg, you won't find an MSRP card, which deviates from precedent. The least expensive cards are one from Galax for $1,654 on Amazon or a Gigabyte card on Newegg for $1,649. That means the smallest premium you'll pay is $50 over MSRP, but most available GPUs cost more than that, so you're looking at paying an additional $100 to $400 to own the world's most powerful GPU.

This situation seems to result from what we reported in August: that Nvidia was shifting production of its biggest chips to its AI accelerators, where margins are much higher. The same report said retailers were also finding the supply of RTX 4090s severely constrained, which aligns with what we're seeing now. Restricting the supply of the RTX 4090 is also a way to ensure prices remain high while helping the company divert precious TSMC resources to its AI chips. The true source of this price creep remains elusive. But it also seems certain that the lack of competition isn't helping.