> Why not offer pre-orders of 5090s and MSRP?

Because it would immediately go to scalpers anyway. Like, say the 5090 - I'm seeing prices of almost 7000€ for that thing [1]. Assuming without AI it would be priced at 1500€ - I could make about 3 months of rent just by immediately selling the GPU to the next reseller who then peddles it to some AI training farm. And in this economy, oh hell yes I would.

> When the AI bubble bursts, Nvidia is going to be Enron.

Nah. NVIDIA was a money printer way before AI was a thing. Post-collapse they will still be a money printer, just at lower speed.

The ones who are going to get fucked over hard when the AI bubble pops is pensioners, the generation who is just entering the workforce (2007ff had an aftereffect in wage depression lasting for up to a decade), and everyone who took up investments to service the AI demand (utilities, construction companies and the likes).

[1] https://www.pccomponentes.de/msi-geforce-rtx-5090-ventus-3x-...

>> Because it would immediately go to scalpers anyway.

No they wouldn't, tens of thousands of unique users would be in line with dozens or hundreds of scalpers, if they're all allowed to buy one every 180 days per payment method, the end users actually get a fighting chance. Today they have no chance.