Images circulating on social media show a Chinese factory dismantling thousands of Nvidia RTX 5090 graphics cards, which are designed more for consumers and gamers, to transform them into components for artificial intelligence servers. This repurposing illustrates the pressure exerted by the AI rush on the electronic components market.
A graphics card selling for over $10,000, while its official price is $1,999: the bill is enough to cool the enthusiasm of gamers hoping to buy a high-end setup. The cause is the race for components capable of running artificial intelligence models. Companies in China have undertaken to dismantle thousands of RTX 5090 cards to power servers dedicated to AI.
This operation comes as the United States restricts China’s access to the most advanced chips for artificial intelligence. Nvidia has had to adapt some of its chips for the Chinese market. The RTX 5090s are now coveted by companies seeking to boost their computing capacity.
Consumer cards repurposed for AI
A video, shared on social media and spotted by Tom’s Hardware US, shows the behind-the-scenes of this refurbishment. It shows technicians retrieving the compute chips and memory from RTX 5090s, then installing them on a new printed circuit board, designed to take up less space and integrate into servers.
By reducing the footprint of the cards, operators can install more of them in the same space. These modified cards are then intended to be grouped by the dozens, or even more, in racks, the cabinets capable of running powerful AI systems. The process involves transposing elements initially designed for personal computers to professional uses related to artificial intelligence.
The final destination of these cards, however, remains difficult to determine. According to Tom’s Hardware, the use of numerous intermediaries in this industry maintains opacity around their routing. It is, however, very likely that these cards are shipped to data centers or AI labs.
Supply constraints on the RTX 5090
This repurposing comes as the RTX 5090, one of Nvidia’s most powerful consumer graphics cards, has become particularly hard to find. In the United States, its price can now exceed $10,000, more than five times its launch price set at $1,999. Nvidia’s online store does not currently offer the model.
The manufacturer, however, assures that production continues. Faced with rumors of a possible halt to its manufacturing, Nvidia indicated that the RTX 5090 is still “alive.” Jeff Fisher, the group’s senior vice president in charge of personal computing, however, acknowledged earlier in October that the card was subject to supply constraints.
The Chinese facilities shown in the video are not enough, on their own, to explain the price surge. The phenomenon could, however, contribute to the supply difficulties.
For individuals, this competition complicates the purchase of high-end computer hardware. The most sought-after cards become scarce or financially inaccessible, while companies have much greater means to secure their supplies.
