I started with the same $1,999 RTX 5090 FE and 1000-watt power supply from my desktop test, dropping them both onto a $99 Minisforum DEG1. It’s an open-air external GPU that can connect to the Oculink port that’s now shipping in a handful of portable gaming PCs, so long as you bring your own desktop GPU and power supply.

Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5090 starts at $1,999 before you factor in upsells from the company's partners or price increases driven by scalpers and/or genuine demand. It costs more than my entire gaming PC.

As we track where to buy an RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 GPUs before they hit shelves on January 30, you can grab Nvidia's next-gen graphics cards right now if you're on the market for a powerful pre-built gaming desktop PC.