‘We’re getting scalped’: System integrator says even he can’t buy 5090 cards at MSRP

Trying to buy a new graphics card right now is an incredible gauntlet of high demand, poor availability, and resellers trying to become profitable middlemen. But one system integrator—someone who assembles and sells pre-built PCs out of retail or bulk-bought components—says the problem isn’t just at retail. He claims he’s getting “scalped” on the price of RTX 5090 cards directly from distributors.

PowerGPU is a fairly typical boutique PC builder, offering a selection of gaming desktop builds at different prices with a selection of parts from well-known suppliers. But six weeks after the launch of the RTX 5090, the store’s configuration tool for US buyers is showing an estimated wait for the top-of-the-line card at “3 to 4 months.” AMD’s new cards—the RX 9070 and 9070 XT—are apparently ready to go in new builds, but Nvidia’s RTX 5080 and 5070 Ti are showing wait times of 1 to 2 months.

Jese Martinez, CEO of PowerGPU, took to Twitter/X to vent his frustration and explain the situation to customers. In a four-minute video (spotted by PCMag), Martinez claims that even as a business with more direct access to the PC parts distribution network, PowerGPU is having just as much trouble getting the RTX 5090 as everyone else.

“We’re also having very much difficulty getting these GPUs. We’ve gotten a very limited quantity since launch, and it took about two or three weeks just to get our first batch. … Now we’re going into mid-March and we’re essentially, even from distribution, we’re getting scalped. Literally.”

Martinez quoted prices that are basically 50 percent inflated from the RTX 5090’s base price of $2,000 USD, which has been nigh-impossible to actually buy for retail customers between low availability for the Founder’s Edition and similar MSRP designs, inflated prices on other SKUs, and resellers jacking up prices. In the US, the Trump regime’s punishing import tariffs might be another factor, but honestly, we’d be seeing huge markups even without that additional headache.

“We’re literally getting offered GPUs (5090s) at cost for us, anywhere from $3,050 to $3,100,” said Martinez. “And these are not even high-end models. These are low-to-mid-range models.”

It’s worth pointing out that Martinez didn’t offer direct evidence of these sky-high prices coming from distributors. Sitting in front of a MacBook, it appears that he intended to show screenshots of other evidence in the final edit of the video. But a footnote reads: “After looking at our agreement, we can talk about it but can’t show you the email.”

Now for a little context. Taking Martinez at his word, it’s true that PowerGPU’s relationships with distributors does undoubtedly give them more options than you or I have when it comes to acquiring new GPUs. But system integrators are a relatively small player in the marketplace. They don’t have as much swing as, say, Corsair selling very similar desktops, combining off-the-shelf components with the company’s own cases and cooling hardware. And it wouldn’t be anywhere near as good as the prices that companies like Acer or Dell can get by buying in bulk.

But it does show that PC gamers aren’t the only ones struggling to pay reasonable prices for the latest graphics cards. And, apparently, not the only ones getting extremely frustrated by the process.