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Video shared by HKEPC shows large numbers of GeForce RTX 5090 cards in a Chinese workshop, where technicians appear to remove the GPUs and memory for installation on custom boards. The footage indicates a route for some consumer cards into AI-server use, but does not establish how many cards are involved, where they came from or whether NVIDIA is aware of the operation.

Footage shared by HKEPC on October 23 shows large numbers of GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards at a Chinese workshop, where technicians appear to remove their GPU dies and memory chips for installation on custom boards aimed at AI servers. The video suggests that at least some flagship consumer cards are being repurposed for computing workloads, rather than sold in their original gaming-card form.

The video, posted by HKEPC on X, shows shelves holding RTX 5090 cards from several vendors. The report identifies a premium ROG Astral model and says Founders Edition cards are also present. The footage does not establish the total number of cards, their purchase history or whether every card shown is intended for conversion.

In the described process, technicians remove the GPU die and GDDR7 memory from each card and place the components on a custom circuit board. The resulting board is paired with a dual-slot blower-style cooler, a smaller cooling arrangement intended to fit more readily in server chassis than the large multi-fan coolers used on many retail cards. The video provides visual evidence of components and workshop activity, but no independently verified production figures.

The RTX 5090 has 32 GB of GDDR7 memory and hardware marketed for AI-related workloads. Those features make the card’s core components potentially useful outside gaming. The report characterizes the conversions as part of an existing pattern, citing earlier instances of RTX 50-series cards being adapted for AI use, but it does not provide data on the frequency or scale of such work.

Consumer GPUs Reworked for AI

The footage illustrates how high-end consumer hardware may be redirected toward AI-server demand. For buyers, that could add another source of competition for RTX 5090 supply, especially if workshops are purchasing cards in volume. However, the video alone does not show that the conversions are affecting retail availability or prices.

Removing the GPU and memory also changes the product’s destination: the rebuilt board is not a standard retail graphics card and is described as being configured for server installation. The distinction matters when interpreting claims that the RTX 5090 is disappearing from gaming retail. A workshop stockpile does not by itself prove a discontinuation, a shortage, or a deliberate shift in production.

The report also raises questions about how restricted hardware reaches the Chinese market. Wccftech says the RTX 5090 is subject to restrictions on sales to China and refers to reports of cards continuing to enter the region. The footage does not identify the suppliers, routes or legality of the specific cards shown, so those broader claims cannot be confirmed from the video.

RTX 5090 Supply and Conversion Reports

Rumors that NVIDIA had discontinued the RTX 5090 have circulated, but Wccftech says the company recently rejected those rumors. The workshop footage does not resolve questions about production volumes or allocation. Wccftech suggests that some production may be serving AI-server demand, but provides no NVIDIA statement confirming that account.

Converting a retail card into a server-oriented board is not the same as NVIDIA selling a dedicated AI accelerator. The process described requires removing components from the original PCB and installing them on a custom board with a different cooler. Wccftech has reported earlier cases of RTX 50-series hardware being adapted in a similar way, though the available details here do not establish whether this workshop is connected to those earlier examples.

“NVIDIA recently refuted rumors that the RTX 5090 had been discontinued.”

— Wccftech

Scale, Supply and NVIDIA’s Role

The footage does not confirm how many cards are being converted, how many rebuilt boards have been completed, or whether the visible inventory represents a single shipment or ongoing operations. It also does not establish the cards’ origin, the workshop’s operators or the identities of any buyers.

Wccftech says NVIDIA is likely aware of such factories and suggests that AI demand may make these sales more profitable than sales to gamers. Those are the outlet’s interpretations, not facts demonstrated by the video. No evidence presented in the report establishes NVIDIA’s knowledge, approval or involvement, and the company’s position on this specific operation is not provided. The footage also cannot show whether the cards were legally imported or whether the activity has changed retail supply.

Further Evidence Needed on Volumes

The next useful details would be confirmation of the workshop’s location and operators, the number of cards being processed, and whether the custom boards are being sold or deployed in specific servers. Independent reporting or statements from the parties involved could clarify whether the video depicts a continuing business or a limited batch.

Any assessment of the effect on gamers will also require retail stock and pricing data alongside reliable information on RTX 5090 production and allocation. Until then, the footage supports a narrower conclusion: some RTX 5090 hardware appears to be undergoing conversion for AI-server use in China, while the scale and effect on consumer supply remain unknown.

Source: Wccftech

Key Questions

Does the video prove the RTX 5090 has been discontinued?

No. The video shows cards in a workshop, but does not establish NVIDIA’s production status. Wccftech reports that NVIDIA recently rejected discontinuation rumors.

What happens to the cards in the workshop?

According to Wccftech’s description of the HKEPC footage, technicians remove the GPU die and memory and install them on a custom board with a dual-slot blower cooler for AI-server use.

How many RTX 5090 cards are being converted?

The footage shows many cards, but no verified count or conversion rate has been provided. It is unclear whether the inventory represents a single batch or ongoing work.

Does NVIDIA know about or support the conversions?

The report speculates that NVIDIA may be aware, but the footage does not prove the company knows about, approves or participates in the operation. No company comment on this specific workshop is included.

Will this make the RTX 5090 harder to buy?

That has not been established. The video does not show how the workshop’s activity affects retail stock, prices or overall supply.

Source: Wccftech