How to Buy NVIDIA RTX 50 Series GPU: Ultimate Purchasing Guide (2025)

After a two-year wait, NVIDIA’s highly-anticipated GeForce 50 series has finally arrived at the start of 2025. But knowing how to buy NVIDIA RTX 50 Series GPU models can be challenging due to high demand and limited availability. This comprehensive guide will help you navigate the process of purchasing these powerful graphics cards, from finding stock to avoiding scalpers and selecting the right model for your needs.

Introduction to the RTX 50 Series

The NVIDIA RTX 50 Series GPU lineup represents a significant leap in graphics processing technology. Major publications like Engadget have already reviewed the flagship $2,000 RTX 5090, the RTX 5070, and most recently, the RTX 5060 Ti. If you’re reading this guide on how to buy NVIDIA RTX 50 Series GPU models, you likely already understand their impressive capabilities, but may need help navigating the purchase process.

As of April 21, 2025, major retailers including Best Buy and Newegg have officially begun selling the first wave of these new GPUs. However, securing your desired model at a reasonable price remains challenging.

Availability Challenges and Price Considerations

NVIDIA itself has publicly acknowledged that it “expects significant demand for the GeForce RTX 5090 and 5080 and believes stock-outs may happen.” This situation is compounded by pricing from NVIDIA’s board partners being considerably higher than MSRP for many models.

For example, when scanning Newegg, you won’t find a single RTX 5070 listed at its official $549 suggested price. Currently, the cheapest models start around $670 – a substantial markup over retail.

How to Buy the RTX 5090 ($2,000)

The RTX 5090 is the most expensive consumer GPU NVIDIA has ever released, but it’s also their most powerful. When considering how to buy NVIDIA RTX 50 Series GPU flagships like the 5090, you should know what you’re getting:

• 21,760 CUDA cores
• 32GB of GDDR7 VRAM
• Potential total power draw of 575W
• Multi-frame generation with DLSS 4
• Average of 246 FPS with full ray tracing in games like Cyberpunk 2077

For Founders Edition models, your best options are NVIDIA’s official store and Best Buy. Third-party models from manufacturers like ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and Zotac can be found at retailers such as Newegg and B&H Photo, though often at premium prices.

How to Buy the RTX 5080 ($999)

The RTX 5080 offers an excellent balance of high-end performance at half the price of the 5090. Key specifications include:

• 10,752 CUDA cores
• 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM
• Memory bandwidth of 960GB/sec
• More modest power draw at 360W
• DLSS 4 multi-frame generation support

Similar to the 5090, Founders Edition models of the RTX 5080 are primarily available through NVIDIA directly and at Best Buy. When learning how to buy NVIDIA RTX 50 Series GPU models like the 5080, it’s worth noting that early reviews have been mixed, but this hasn’t deterred eager buyers.

How to Buy the RTX 5070 Ti ($749)

Between the two 5070 variants, the Ti version is likely the better long-term investment. It features 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM compared to the standard 5070’s 12GB. This extra memory will prove valuable as modern AAA games continue to demand more VRAM resources.

Unfortunately, the 5070 Ti is the one model in the RTX 50 Series GPU lineup for which NVIDIA won’t offer a Founders Edition version. This makes finding one at MSRP particularly challenging. Your best bet for reasonably priced models is B&H Photo.

How to Buy the RTX 5070 ($549)

The RTX 5070 was initially NVIDIA’s most affordable 50 series GPU before the launch of the 5060 Ti. It offers solid performance at 1440p resolution and is capable of some 4K gaming with DLSS enabled.

However, with only 12GB of VRAM, the 5070 may become outdated faster than its Ti counterpart. Additionally, performance benchmarks show it isn’t substantially faster than the previous generation 4070, making it a less compelling upgrade for those who already own recent hardware.

How to Buy the RTX 5060 Ti ($299)

Until the standard RTX 5060 arrives in May 2025, the 5060 Ti stands as NVIDIA’s most affordable 50 series card. Surprisingly, it offers an impressive 16GB of VRAM – the same amount as the much more expensive 5080 and 5070 Ti.

The RTX 5060 Ti delivers excellent performance at both 1080p and 1440p resolutions. If you can find it at NVIDIA’s suggested retail price of $299, it represents perhaps the best value in the entire RTX 50 Series GPU lineup.

Best Retailers for RTX 50 Series GPUs

When searching for how to buy NVIDIA RTX 50 Series GPU models, these are the primary retailers to monitor:

• NVIDIA Store – The most reliable source for Founders Edition cards at MSRP
• Best Buy – Official retail partner for NVIDIA Founders Edition cards
• Newegg – Wide selection but often at premium prices
• B&H Photo – Sometimes has better pricing than competitors
• Amazon – Convenient but watch for third-party scalpers
• Micro Center – In-store only, but sometimes has stock when online retailers are sold out

Tips for Avoiding Scalpers

With demand outpacing supply, scalping has become an unfortunate reality of the RTX 50 Series GPU launch. Here are strategies to help you secure a card at a reasonable price:

1. Set up stock alerts on retailer websites and join Discord servers dedicated to stock notifications
2. Consider NVIDIA’s Founders Edition models, which are more likely to be sold at MSRP
3. Be patient – prices tend to normalize a few months after launch
4. Look for bundle deals from retailers that may offer better overall value
5. Check local computer stores that may not be targeted by scalping operations
6. Consider previous generation alternatives like the RTX 4080 or 4070 Ti if their prices drop

Conclusion

Learning how to buy NVIDIA RTX 50 Series GPU models requires patience, vigilance, and sometimes a bit of luck in the current market. While availability remains challenging and pricing inconsistent, the performance these cards deliver – especially with technologies like DLSS 4 and multi-frame generation – makes them worth the effort for serious gamers and creators.

For most users, the RTX 5060 Ti and RTX 5070 offer the best balance of performance and value, while enthusiasts with larger budgets will appreciate the capabilities of the RTX 5080 and 5090. Whichever model you’re targeting, use the strategies outlined in this guide to maximize your chances of finding stock at reasonable prices.