Whether it’s due to low stock counts or unprecedented demand, it’s been particularly tough to pin down graphics card availability this generation. In yet another attempt to combat scalpers and get them into the hands of budding gamers, Amazon is keeping an assortment of Nvidia and AMD GPUs under lock and key, offering them solely for its Prime subscribers.
Cascading from GeForce RTX 5080 all the way down to RTX 5070, there are at least nine Nvidia graphics cards specifically “reserved for Prime members.” This disables the ability to add the device to basket until you join Amazon’s ranks or log in with an existing subscription. RTX 5090 is exempt, but that’s not too surprising given its lofty price tag. Similarly, RTX 40 Series remains unaffected, likely due to its dwindling supply.
Amazon graphics cards
Grab yourself a guaranteed GPU by signing up to Amazon Prime.
It’s not unique to Team Green, either, as I count five new AMD listings with the same notice, starting with XFX Quicksilver Radeon RX 9070 OC through to Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 9070 XT. Admittedly, these are carrying some holiday weight in the form of inflation, so prepare to pay a premium for the luxury of having one sooner than everyone else.
You can tell which requires a subscription in search via the “Exclusively for Prime Members” tagline at the bottom of each entry. If you click through, Amazon replaces the checkout icon with a Join Prime stinger that’ll direct you through the process of signing up.
I’m generally not a fan of paywalls, but this approach tends to at least alleviate availability woes for coveted items that scalpers usually circle like sharks. The bonus here is that you can either become a member for a month and cancel at the end of it or save some money on a full year’s down payment. I recommend the latter, as there are lots of benefits with an Amazon Prime subscription, including exclusive deals, faster delivery, and both audio and visual streaming services – I’m a fan of Prime Video in particular.
The promised two-day shipping doesn’t quite apply here, as most models come with a longer lead time. You should get your Sapphire GPUs within seven days, while there’s a two-week wait for Nvidia’s Blackwell options. It’s worth seeing for yourself, as it’s all dependent on stock at any given time.
So far, it seems enforcing Prime subscriptions is solely a North American gambit. However, there’s nothing to say we won’t see it breach outside of the US and into Europe if it works. And, just for clarity, signing up to Prime in one country doesn’t carry over to the other, so you’ll need a US membership directly.
