GPU tourism is a thing: Japan blocks RTX 5090 and 5080 sales to tourists amid global GPU chaos

Cutting corners: Users on China's Weibo platform are reporting that Japanese PC retailers are blocking the sale of graphics cards to tourists. These new policies may be a response to international scalpers, as Nvidia's RTX 5090 and 5080 remain critically scarce. Initially, retailers attempted to deter scalpers by withholding tax-free benefits, but with GPUs selling well above MSRP in markets like China, there still appears to be enough incentive for buyers to fly in, purchase a GPU, and resell it later. Even four months after launch, Nvidia's latest high-end graphics cards remain difficult to acquire, especially at MSRP. Low stock made Japan's GPU market chaotic from the start, but retailers there have started restricting exports to maintain supply for domestic customers. A photo taken at a hardware store in Osaka's Nipponbashi district shows a sign in Chinese warning that the RTX 5090 and 5080 will not be sold for use outside the country. The retailer likely aims to dissuade foreign ... Read full article.