A $4,600 Order Canceled Over a $553 Price Hike
The GeForce RTX 5090 was supposed to be a $1,999 graphics card. But in the current AI-driven GPU market, that price has become a distant memory. Custom models have long since doubled that figure, and one ASUS card has now reached the meme price of roughly $5,090 after tax – a level usually reserved for ultra-limited editions.
For one Reddit user, however, that price is no joke. According to a report from VideoCardz, the customer placed an order for an ASUS ROG Astral GeForce RTX 5090 BTF through NVIDIA’s official marketplace at $4,429 before tax ($4,607 after tax). The order was confirmed, the payment was processed – and then it was canceled.
The reason? ASUS raised the price.
ASUS Increases Price by 12.5% After Order Was Placed
According to the support response shared by the buyer, ASUS provided NVIDIA with a pricing update after the order had already been placed. The same card is now listed for $4,982 before tax – a $553 increase, or about 12.5%. Reordering would now cost roughly $5,100 after tax – more than $500 above the original price.
NVIDIA and ASUS Point Fingers
NVIDIA reportedly asked ASUS to honor the original purchase price. The graphics card maker rejected the request. NVIDIA also said it could not restore the canceled order or create a replacement order using the older price.
The buyer was caught in the middle. ASUS initially denied responsibility and redirected the case to NVIDIA, while NVIDIA maintained that ASUS handled fulfillment and made the cancellation decision. Neither company has issued a public statement, but the support email directly attributes the cancellation to ASUS and the price change supplied after the order was submitted.
A Symptom of a Broken Market
This incident highlights just how distorted the high-end GPU market has become. The RTX 5090 was announced with a $1,999 MSRP, but actual retail prices have soared due to a combination of factors: soaring GDDR7 memory costs, rising TSMC wafer prices, and relentless demand from AI data centers.
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In some countries, canceling a confirmed order after payment and demanding a higher price would be illegal. But in the current market, where demand far outstrips supply, consumers have little recourse.
For the Reddit user, the outcome is a bitter one: a confirmed order, a paid invoice, and nothing to show for it but a refund – and the option to buy the same card for $553 more.
Source: Reddit