Defective RTX 5090 GPUs Being Sold at Premium Prices in Europe
A few fortunate buyers who managed to secure an Nvidia RTX 50-series graphics card quickly discovered a shocking flaw—underperformance due to missing Render Output Units (ROPs). While this alone would be concerning, the situation has taken an even more bizarre turn: at least one European retailer is openly selling these defective GPUs as “B-stock” at an inflated price.
Retailers Selling Underperforming RTX 5090 Cards at a Premium
German online retailer Alternate.de has listed the Zotac RTX 5090 Solid OC with a clear admission that it has missing ROPs—specifically, 168 instead of the expected 176. This seemingly minor defect reduces performance by up to 10%, yet the card is being sold for a staggering €2,899 (approximately $3,140 USD).
For context, Nvidia has claimed an MSRP of $2,000 for a standard RTX 5090 without any defects. Meanwhile, the same Zotac model—when properly configured—was briefly seen listed on Newegg for $2,370, though it was unsurprisingly out of stock.
Warranty Won’t Save Buyers From a Costly Mistake
Adding insult to injury, buyers can’t simply rely on Zotac’s warranty to receive a properly functioning replacement. According to reports from VideoCardz.com, defective units like these won’t be swapped for a fully operational 5090 under warranty. The only real recourse for an unfortunate buyer would be attempting a return and refund through the retailer—assuming they allow it.
A Frustrating Reality for PC Gamers
It’s troubling to see defective high-end GPUs being sold at exorbitant prices, but what’s even worse is that someone will probably buy them—whether out of desperation, misinformation, or sheer speculation. If not an eager PC gamer willing to overpay for a compromised GPU, then likely a reseller hoping to flip it at an even greater markup. This situation highlights the current chaotic state of the GPU market, where even flawed hardware can command astronomical prices due to limited supply.
