If you were going to get a reasonably priced gaming PC in 2021, that sounds complicated. On classifieds sites, the prices of GeForce RTX graphics cards have skyrocketed in recent weeks. What to see moving away from the prospects for a happier future.
The pricing and availability of graphics cards is really a hot topic. Everything is fed by news that is always very rich. In recent days alone, Nvidia has marketed its GeForce RTX 3060 while AMD has formalized its Radeon RX 6700 XT. Demand has been very strong since the arrival of the GeForce 30s last year and the situation has not improved. Worse, it deteriorates a little more.
Prices x1,5 to x3,5 higher than recommended rates
The data in the chart above comes from analyst Michael Driscoll. This graph shows that GPU prices soared in February across the Ampere family. And while they tend to drop now, they're still well above where they were in January 2021. The recent drop matches the arrival of the RTX 3060, but is not a significant drop nonetheless.
MSRP stands for MSRP in Spanish and stands for: Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price. This is the base price of graphics cards recommended by Nvidia. We therefore observe prices from x 1,5 to x 3,5 higher than the basic price.
Price of the RTX 3080 on eBay //
If we take more specifically the case of the GeForce RTX 3080, we can observe incredible prices on eBay: the cards which are generally worth between 700 and 1 euros have exceeded 000 euros. In recent weeks, the increase has been huge and akin to the bitcoin curve or the number of Covid-2 cases.
Not very reassuring prospects
Nvidia is trying to take action to limit the use of new graphics cards by crypto miners. The future GeForce RTX 3080 Ti could be restricted to mine ETH. Officially, Nvidia explains that sales related to this use are not significant in its balance sheet. But does Nvidia estimate these numbers correctly? It is far from certain.
This shortage could therefore continue well beyond mid-2021, contrary to what Nvidia's communication announces. We must expect several months of waiting ... Which would easily bring us to 2022.
What concludes that the year 2021 is one of the worst years of all time to try to build or buy a new PC.
What are the best Nvidia GeForce RTX and AMD Radeon graphics cards (GPUs) in 2021?
The graphics card, an essential element of any computer, must be chosen with care according to the uses that will be made of your machine. We therefore offer you a complete buying guide to find you there ...
