Shortages of RTX 4090 Cards in Japan, With Limited Demand for RTX 4080 Models
Shop clerks in Japan are claiming that customers are opting for either the more affordable RTX 4070 Ti graphics or fully committing to enthusiast-class RTX 4090 models. This implies that the interest in RTX 4080-class cards is actually quite low, leading these shops to intentionally restrict their stock of these cards.
“It might be a little short in supply globally,” said a worker at The PC Workshop Akihabara Store, as reported by ITMedia. “The demand for RTX 4090 has been constant, but it’s becoming a bit difficult to get in stock.” Another shop clerk added, “The models priced in the 250,000 yen range are still on backorder. The showcase for RTX 4090 in their store does indeed have noticeable gaps.”
Another retailer explained the intentional low stock of RTX 4080 cards, stating, “Due to the issue of overlap, fewer people are choosing RTX 4080 cards. Many opt for RTX 4070 Ti if they seek high-end performance, and for ultra-high-end, they go up to RTX 4090. Therefore, we deliberately limit our stock.”
The cheapest RTX 4090s in stock are going for 270K Yen, Source: ITMedia
So, while the availability of RTX 4080 series cards is intentionally limited, affordable RTX 4090 cards, especially those priced at 250,000 Yen, are challenging to come by. Retailers report long backorders and suspect a high global demand for these cards with no improvement in supply.
Retailers are advising enthusiast gamers in Japan looking for high-end models to stay updated on trends. If affordable RTX 4090 cards continue to be out of stock, there might be increased demand for other options. Alternatively, the price for RTX 4090 may rise, making backordering a sensible choice.
Nevertheless, it’s interesting to observe the popularity of RTX 40 series cards from the retailer’s perspective. Clearly, they’ve noticed that at certain price points, gamers will demand the best available GPU rather than saving $200 on a card that might receive further price cuts at any time.
Source: ITMedia via @momomo_us
