The RTX 4090 marks its fourth anniversary today with a quiet dignity that the current generation cannot match. Launched on October 12, 2022, at a then-staggering $1,499 MSRP, the card delivered 16,384 CUDA cores, 24 GB GDDR6X, and 76.3 billion transistors that still hold their own in 2026.

Its successor, the RTX 5090, launched at $1,999 and has already become a scarce commodity. Leakers including @hongxing2020 and MEGAsizeGPU report that Nvidia has halted GB202 production for consumer GeForce cards, redirecting the silicon exclusively to RTX Pro data-center and professional GPUs. Existing 5090 stock will dwindle without replenishment, pushing already elevated prices higher.

Meanwhile the cheapest new RTX 5080 listings sit above the 4090’s original sticker price. PC Gamer notes the Asus Prime 5080 variant at $1,640, a telling shift in baseline expectations. The 4090’s owners, who paid the premium four years ago, now hold what increasingly looks like the last straightforward high-end consumer GPU before the market fully tilted toward AI margins.

Nvidia’s move makes business sense but leaves gamers staring at an even narrower top shelf. The 5080 24 GB variant is rumored as the new flagship, though that remains unconfirmed. For now the anniversary serves as a modest reminder that the enthusiast segment once had a different ceiling.