What's being sold and at what price
Nvidia is returning to QuakeCon 2026 with a special offer that has gamers taking notice. At the event, the company is selling Founders Edition versions of its RTX 50-series graphics cards at their original launch prices. The lineup includes the RTX 5090 at $1,999, the RTX 5080 at $999, and the RTX 5070 at $549. All of these models are available at their manufacturer's suggested retail prices, but only in limited quantities and for a short time. These graphics cards first debuted in January 2025 but have remained difficult to find at MSRP for well over a year.
The sale is available in person at the GeForce booth located at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas, from August 6 to 9. Attendees can visit the booth during the four-day event to get a firsthand opportunity to grab these high-end GPUs. Along with the graphics cards, Nvidia is offering a variety of free giveaways and exclusive collectibles, including the GeForce Trading Cards Series 1.
Why this matters for buyers
Even the RTX 5070, the most affordable of the series, is currently priced at around $629, which is still 14% higher than its original MSRP. For most consumers, these cards have become more of a luxury item than a standard high-end part. The soaring prices have made it tough for many gamers to upgrade their systems with the latest technology without breaking the bank.
A significant factor contributing to the increased prices is the ongoing memory shortage, which has driven up the cost of VRAM. Specifically, GDDR7 modules are becoming more expensive, and the wafer manufacturing costs from TSMC are also on the rise. Reports from South Korea indicate that prices there for these GPUs have already increased by 30%.
As a result, the QuakeCon sale could offer a rare chance to purchase a top-tier GPU without overpaying — provided attendees can make it to the event and secure a card quickly before they run out.
What's likely to happen next
Nvidia has made it clear that the QuakeCon sale will end as soon as the available stock is gone. This means that once the booth is empty, buyers who missed out will have to rely on online marketplaces, secondhand options, or face the reality of paying inflated prices set by the market.
To add some extra value to the event experience, the company has also included skill-based gaming challenges such as Quake III Arena RTX Remix and DOOM: The Dark Ages | Revelations. Top performers in these contests will receive a free RTX 5070 Founders Edition GPU. This gives some attendees another shot at acquiring a card through talent and strategy, rather than just luck or money.
While the sale represents an attractive option for some, it's not a realistic solution for most people looking to upgrade their PC hardware. However, it serves as a stark reminder of how far prices have risen from what Nvidia initially promised. For many, the original MSRP of these graphics cards now feels like a relic from a more affordable era of PC gaming.