Question How do I buy a GPU on launch day before the bots and scalpers?

CoffeeStoreGuy

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May 7, 2017
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I thought I wouldn't want the new GPUs, because of the bots and scalpers, but looking at the new leaks and the supposed leaked performance of the 9070 XT I kind of want to wait and see if I can even buy a GPU. I've never tried to buy a GPU on launch, and I have bought a GPU in 5 years since the release of the RTX 2060, and I waited a month for that, but that was before people started using bots to buy up all the GPUs in 2020 for bitcoin mining. Now there is just scum out there that is buying these GPUs to re-sell them at a higher price.

Is there anything I can do? I'd really like a new GPU, but it's fine if I can't get one and I'm only able to get a 7800xt.
 
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BestBuy sold out in less than 1 second. Their customer service department is useless. The supervisor told me there were no bots. The PC Build department has cool people who aren't reading from a script. They also have a waiting list.
 
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I thought I wouldn't want the new GPUs, because of the bots and scalpers, but looking at the new leaks and the supposed leaked performance of the 9070 XT I kind of want to wait and see if I can even buy a GPU. I've never tried to buy a GPU on launch, and I have bought a GPU in 5 years since the release of the RTX 2060, and I waited a month for that, but that was before people started using bots to buy up all the GPUs in 2020 for bitcoin mining. Now there is just scum out there that is buying these GPUs to re-sell them at a higher price.

Is there anything I can do? I'd really like a new GPU, but it's fine if I can't get one and I'm only able to get a 7800xt.
Friend of mine went to the local bricks and mortar mom and pop pc shop. They asked if there was going to be early/release day stock and were told “yes”. A pre order was placed and a deposit paid. Friend had a 3070 on day 1 at the proper price, no scalper overhead.

Depending on the shops around you it might work.
 
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You won't, I had a bot checking the nvidia website for the 5090 to go from coming soon to available every 5 seconds. It was supposed to become available at 2pm here in the UK, it never did. The website just went straight from coming soon to out of stock around 2:30pm.

Nvidia releasing 5090 and 5080 series cards with next to no stock was a poor decision​


OCUK
Only had 10 cards.

Scan
Was the same, only the MSI ventus was available for about 3.142 seconds before they removed the buy button on the website.

Nvidia shouldn't have set this release date with so little FE cards in their stock and after market cards in resellers warehouses.

I think I will see how things are in December, no rush, or wait for the 6090, I was hoping for 64gb of ram anyway for AI workloads, 32 is nowhere near enough. Flux dev fp16 and fp16 vae uses more than 24gb, the 5090 will just be enough, the fp8 and fp4 features are no good for detailed image processing.

NEVER BUY FROM SCALPERS
 
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You won't, I had a bot checking the nvidia website for the 5090 to go from coming soon to available every 5 seconds. It was supposed to become available at 2pm here in the UK, it never did. The website just went straight from coming soon to out of stock around 2:30pm.

Nvidia releasing 5090 and 5080 series cards with next to no stock was a poor decision​


OCUK
Only had 10 cards.

Scan
Was the same, only the MSI ventus was available for about 3.142 seconds before they removed the buy button on the website.

Nvidia shouldn't have set this release date with so little FE cards in their stock and after market cards in resellers warehouses.

I think I will see how things are in December, no rush, or wait for the 6090, I was hoping for 64gb of ram anyway for AI workloads, 32 is nowhere near enough. Flux dev fp16 and fp16 vae uses more than 24gb, the 5090 will just be enough, the fp8 and fp4 features are no good for detailed image processing.

NEVER BUY FROM SCALPERS
They launch with low stock, deliberately, to pump up demand, then trickle out more, to keep demand high. If everyone was able to get one on the first day, the buzz would die down in a week, and then sales would plummet.