- RTX 5090 with 32GB GDDR7 memory is far cheaper than the equivalent AI accelerator from Nvidia
- Several of them can be teamed together to support very large language models
- Crypto mining in the early 2020s caused prices of GPUs to spike, the same is likely to happen with AI
During the early 2020s, cryptomining was a driving force behind a lot of GPU shortages and inflated prices, as high-end graphics cards were snapped up in bulk to mine cryptocurrencies, leading to record pricing across multiple generations of GeForce GPUs.
Nvidia attempted to address the issue by introducing mining limiters, but miners, naturally, found ways to bypass these, and retail prices remained well above the MSRP for long periods.
History could well be about to repeat itself, but this time based around artificial intelligence demand rather than cryptocurrency. Videocardz (via I_Leak_VN) reports that a Vietnamese retailer called Nguyencongpc has started selling barebone AI servers equipped with seven GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards.
Mounting supply pressures
The setup, cooled by air and powered by a 2000W PSU, is designed to handle large AI workloads, including support for large language models.
The RTX 5090, with its 32GB of GDDR7 memory, offers a blend of high performance and relatively low cost compared to Nvidia’s dedicated in-demand AI accelerators.
When several are used in tandem, as is the case with the server Nguyencongpc is selling, they can match or exceed the memory capacity needed for enterprise-level AI applications - without the high price tag of the RTX Pro or H-series products.
While you've got to admire the ingenuity on display here, the knock on will inevitably be mounting supply pressures.
The RTX 5090 is already facing stock issues, and its price has climbed past $3000 in many markets, with some listings close to $4000. This mirrors the RTX 4090's trajectory, which driven by cryptomining, rarely dropped below MSRP and remained in high demand for non-gaming uses.
With modders reportedly exploring ways to increase onboard memory even further, the RTX 5090 could follow the same path as its predecessors - designed for games, but monopolized by entirely different industries.
Nvidia has yet to take steps to prevent system integrators or retailers from redirecting gaming GPUs toward AI markets and if it doesn't, gamers could well once again find themselves unable to purchase the latest graphics hardware at fair prices.
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