The best graphics cards from AMD and Nvidia have remained firmly out of reach for many over the past few years, with the components selling well over their MSRP. However, as the severity of chip shortages and demand from crypto miners continues to decline, it appears that we may slowly be returning to the good old days of normal GPU pricing.
According to a report by 3DCenter (via WCCF Tech) that analyses the cost of Radeon and GeForce graphics cards in Germany, prices for both the RX 6000 and RTX 3000 series are at their lowest since January 2021. GPUs are now being sold on average for 35-41% over MSRP, which is undoubtedly annoying but decidedly cheaper than the peak of 200-318% of May of last year.
However, the level of inflation varies between models, with the AMD RX 6800 and Nvidia RTX 3080 being the worst affected with listings averaging 55% above MSRP. So, while it’s still probably best to remain patient before upgrading your gaming PC with a new graphics card, there also hasn’t been a better time to do so for over a year.
Hopefully the upcoming release of several GPU lineups, namely Intel Arc Alchemist, Nvidia RTX 4000, and an AMD RX 6000 refresh prior to RDNA 3, will also force the prices of current generation cards down even further. It’s worth bearing in mind that while we expect a significant performance boost from these cards, the performance offered by the likes of RTX 3000 and RX 6000 will still be plenty for years to come and could offer great value.
Credit: 3DCenter.org
We could also see the used market flooded with graphics cards from crypto mining farms, similar to what we saw in China last year. All in all, things are looking much brighter for anyone looking for an upgrade in the near-future.