MSI subsidiary accused of ‘scalping’ NVIDIA RTX 3080 for $600 over retail
An MSI subsidiary briefly sold the RTX 3080 for significantly over market price.
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What you need to know
MSI subsidiary Starlit Partner has been accused of “scalping” the NVIDIA RTX 3080 for almost $600 over its normal retail price of $760. AneBay listing, which has since been taken down, listed an MSI GeForce RTX 3080 GPU for $1,359. AReddit postflagged up the overpriced card and relationship between STarlit Partner and MSI, which led to backlash across the web (via The Verge).
MSI released a statement on Twitter today that confirms that Starlit Partner is an “individual sales subsidiary working under MSI.” The statement explains that Starlit Partner normally sells refurbished items as opposed to new items like the RTX 3080. MSI states that the RTX 3080 became available through Starlit Partner due to an error.
Regarding Starlit Partner/eBay:pic.twitter.com/QqRDBNRdVaRegarding Starlit Partner/eBay:pic.twitter.com/QqRDBNRdVa— MSI Gaming USA (@msiUSA)October 7, 2020October 7, 2020
People who purchased the RTX 3080 for an inflated price have two options. They can receive a full refund or opt to receive a refund of the difference between what they paid and what the card retails for. It’s worth noting that MSI specifically states that “Starlit Partner has been instructed to contact the individual customers who purchased these graphic card products.” That means that customers will have to communicate with Starlit Partner rather than MSI.
MSI also states that it will “enforce a stricter policy to avoid situations like this happening again.”
The RTX 3080 is one of thebest graphics cardsyou can buy and is in very high demand. It sold out almost immediately when it became available. The ensuing shortage contributed to an escalated second-hand market.
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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
