Buying a GeForce RTX 5090, widely regarded as one of the best graphics cards on the market, was already extremely difficult because of price hikes and near-zero availability. Now, it will be impossible to get one. Amid recent rumors that Nvidia is halting production of the GeForce RTX 5090, another sign of the card's disappearance from the U.S. market are emerging. Micro Center has reclassified the Blackwell flagship as "Not Carried," and many of its stores have sold out. Tom's Hardware has reached out to Micro Center for comment.
The “not carried” status on a product is different from simply being out of stock. When an item is out of stock, it just means the product is temporarily unavailable, but the retailer plans to restock once new inventory arrives from the manufacturer. In contrast, a "not carried" label implies the product is no longer part of the retailer's active catalog. Therefore, the retailer does not expect to restock the item.
Custom GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards from Nvidia partners such as Asus, MSI, and Gigabyte are still listed on Micro Center’s website for now. However, a closer look shows these models are out of stock at all of the retailer’s physical locations. This widespread unavailability lends credence to the rumors that Nvidia has reportedly stopped producing the GeForce RTX 5090.
The Asus GeForce RTX 5090 ROG Astral Edition 20 is the only GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card that remains in stock at most Micro Center stores nationwide. However, there is a catch. This particular model is only available as part of the exclusive Asus ROG 20th Anniversary Bundle priced at almost $11,000.
Adding another twist to the unfolding story, one Redditor claimed to have seen Micro Center employees remove all GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards from the shelves on October 9, just a day before rumors of a production halt began circulating online. According to the account, when the Redditor asked the store manager why, the manager refused to explain.
The Redditor wanted to buy the Asus ProArt GeForce RTX 5090; however, a Micro Center employee reportedly said the graphics card "was pulled and being sent somewhere else," offering no further explanation. Nonetheless, the Redditor noticed two GeForce RTX 5090 cards still on the shelf and allegedly begged staff to let them buy one. The Asus GeForce RTX 5090 ROG Astral Edition 20 would require selling a kidney, and no doctor or surgical equipment was nearby. Therefore, the Redditor bought the Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5090 Aorus Stealth Ice, which Micro Center generously price-matched to the cheaper Asus ProArt GeForce RTX 5090.
The fairytale ending wrapped up with the Micro Center employee reportedly telling the customer, "congrats on getting the last 5090 we will probably sell..."
Bought the last 5090 at my Microcenterfrom r/Microcenter
Nvidia has not officially commented on the GeForce RTX 5090's situation. Despite ongoing speculation, the chipmaker still lists the GeForce RTX 5090 on its website with a “starting at $1,999” price, an MSRP we have not seen in ages. The original rumor suggested that Nvidia had stopped producing the GeForce RTX 5090, but it has not been formally confirmed as a discontinuation.
It makes sense for Nvidia to reallocate the GB202 silicon that powers the GeForce RTX 5090 into its Pro lineup, where profit margins are considerably higher. Instead of focusing on the GeForce RTX 5090 for gaming, Nvidia can channel the GB202 into products like the RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell, RTX Pro 5500, and RTX Pro 5000, where the market will pay a steep premium for the same silicon.
Sadly, times are changing, and the GeForce RTX 5090 has shifted from flagship to a soon-unattainable halo product.