Nvidia Price Hike: RTX 5090 Now $4,299 to $9,500

After the Nvidia price hike, the cheapest RTX 5090 that Tom's Hardware found in mid-September 2026 was about $4,299, in a single Micro Center store; online, first-party stock had almost disappeared and third-party sellers were asking up to $9,500. Its launch price was $1,999. Nvidia hasn't published a new MSRP.

GeForce RTX cards got more expensive for the third time this year. Following increases in January and May, a new round raised the prices Nvidia charges its board partners by roughly 20 to 30% across the RTX 50 series, according to The PC Enthusiast. The RTX 5090 shows the damage most. Tom's Hardware reported that first-party US stock had "almost completely evaporated."

RTX 5090 Price Right Now

Checked October 23, 2026. US prices in USD. Tom's Hardware's mid-September reporting is still the newest from a major outlet, so treat these as a snapshot, not a live quote. The one listing we track barely moved in October.

• Official MSRP: $1,999. Nvidia announced the RTX 5090 at that price in January 2025 (Tom's Hardware). Nvidia hasn't published a new one.
• Cheapest in-store card: about $4,299. In mid-September, Tom's Hardware found a single Micro Center location with a card at roughly that price. It is a store-by-store, in-person-pickup situation, not a national price (Tom's Hardware).
• Third-party sellers: up to $9,500. Same Tom's Hardware report, mid-September.
• One model, one retailer: $7,449. The tracker videocardprices.com showed an ASUS TUF RTX 5090 at that price on September 30, up from $5,299.99 on August 31, and at $7,443.99 on Amazon on October 11. That is a single listing, not a market average.
• Floor in late summer: $5,000. Tom's Hardware's headline then was that the card "now costs at least $5,000" (Tom's Hardware). The mid-September Micro Center find is below that, which shows how uneven stock is.

Here's What's Confirmed About the Nvidia Price Hike

• Nvidia hasn't published new GeForce MSRPs. The reported increase is on the GPU-and-memory kits sold to partners like ASUS, Gigabyte, and MSI, per Taiwan's Economic Daily News as relayed by The PC Enthusiast. Partners pass it on, so the same card can sell for very different prices from store to store.
• Memory is the main cost driver. The PC Enthusiast says graphics memory is the primary cost driver behind the 2026 increases, alongside higher costs for PCBs and cooling.
• Samsung is pushing DRAM prices up. TrendForce reported in July that Samsung is negotiating to raise its Q3 DRAM average selling price by as much as 20%. TrendForce itself expects contract prices to rise 13 to 18% quarter over quarter.
• AI data centers are absorbing memory supply. That leaves consumer GPUs competing for chips against buyers with far deeper pockets.

The mid-range didn't escape. Tom's Hardware's Newegg tracking put the median RTX 5060 Ti 16GB at $804.99 in August 2026, up from $569.99 in June. The RTX 5070 hit $899.99, up from $659.99 (Wccftech, citing Tom's Hardware).

What We Don't Know Yet

• Whether Nvidia will publish new MSRPs. It hasn't commented publicly on the partner-price increases reported so far.
• How much of Samsung's 20% target sticks. TrendForce expects less. Samsung's ask is a negotiating position, not a settled price.
• Where the RTX 5090 settles. Listings vary widely, as the $4,299 and $7,449 figures above show. No single number is "the" price.
• What a used card costs. I couldn't find a used-price figure from Tom's Hardware, Nvidia or a major retailer for October, so this page doesn't print one.
• When memory supply eases. Nothing sourced here gives a date.

What It Means for You

This section is opinion. If you weren't planning to buy a $2,000-plus flagship, the RTX 5090's price isn't your problem. The mid-range is, though, and the memory explanation says the pressure isn't a one-off spike. Prices are not likely to correct soon while AI demand keeps absorbing supply.

If you do want a 5090, the spread is the story. Nearly $5,000 separates the cheapest in-store find from the highest resale ask, so check whether a local store has stock before paying a reseller's price. Avoid anyone who wants payment up front without buyer protection.

Our beginner PC build guide recommends the RTX 5060 Ti (the ASUS Dual OC specifically) and the RTX 5070 (the PNY OC Triple-Fan). At August's medians the 5070 costs only about $95 more than the 16GB 5060 Ti, so it makes a stronger case than before. Prices move month to month, so check current listings before you buy.

If you need to choose, building around the mid-range is the least risky way to buy a gaming PC right now.

Update, October 23, 2026: Re-checked prices. Still no newer Tom's Hardware or Nvidia figure, and the ASUS TUF listing we track shows nothing after its October 11 price ($7,443.99 on Amazon).

Update, October 3, 2026: Added the "RTX 5090 Price Right Now" snapshot and rewrote the title, summary and table around Tom's Hardware's reporting. Removed the June and August Newegg median rows, which came from a secondary source I can't verify. The earlier "$5,000 and up" headline is now attributed to Tom's Hardware's late-summer report, and the mid-September Micro Center price of about $4,299 is shown alongside it. No newer Tom's Hardware or Nvidia figure was found.

Update, October 2, 2026: Checked the headline price against current sources. The RTX 5090 title and summary now reflect $5,000-plus retail pricing (by mid-September, Tom's Hardware reported first-party stock gone and third-party prices up to $9,500), replacing the earlier $4,700 figure, which was the August Newegg median. The memory-cost claims now use their sources' own wording: memory as the primary cost driver (The PC Enthusiast), and Samsung seeking, not yet achieving, a 20% Q3 DRAM increase (TrendForce). The article is now organized around what's confirmed, unknown, and what it means, and has a FAQ.

FAQ

How much does the RTX 5090 cost now?

It launched at a $1,999 MSRP in January 2025. In mid-September 2026, Tom's Hardware found the cheapest in-stock US card at about $4,299 in one Micro Center store, while third-party sellers asked up to $9,500. Prices vary a lot by retailer and model.

How much does a used RTX 5090 cost?

We couldn't find a reliable October figure from Tom's Hardware, Nvidia or a major US retailer, so we won't print one. For context, Tom's Hardware reported third-party sellers asking up to $9,500 in mid-September. Asking prices are not sale prices: check recently sold listings.

How much will an RTX 5090 PC cost?

Tom's Hardware has highlighted an MSI desktop with an RTX 5090, 64GB of DDR5 and a 2TB SSD at $4,899, after a $1,000 discount (Tom's Hardware). That was a deal post, and deals expire, so confirm it is still live. A custom build costs the card's price plus the rest of the parts.

Did Nvidia raise the RTX 5090's official price?

Not publicly. Nvidia hasn't published new GeForce MSRPs. The reported increase is on the GPU-and-memory kits it sells to board partners, and retail prices follow from that.

Why are graphics cards getting more expensive in 2026?

Mostly memory. Reporting points to AI data centers absorbing a growing share of DRAM supply, which raises memory costs for graphics cards.

Is Samsung raising DRAM prices by 20%?

Samsung is reportedly seeking an increase of up to 20% in its Q3 2026 DRAM average selling price, according to TrendForce. TrendForce expects actual contract prices to rise 13 to 18%.

Which GPU is the safer buy right now?

Mid-range cards have risen too, but less in dollar terms. August medians were $804.99 for the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and $899.99 for the RTX 5070, per Tom's Hardware's Newegg tracking. Check live listings before you buy.