GPU prices they’ve been falling for a while, and to get ahead of the fall, Nvidia slashed the prices of its RTX 30-series GPUs a couple of weeks ago, by as much as $500 in some cases. It sounds too good to be true, a bit of justice after nearly two years of GPU shortages locking gamers away, but the price drops aren’t as significant as we’re led to believe.
It’s true that some GPUs cost up to $500 less now, but the best graphics cards from Nvidia still sell well above list price. High-end gamers rejoice as GPUs are cheaper than ever. Everyone else? Well, it looks like we’ll have to deal with the leftovers.
for enthusiasts
The RTX 3090 Ti is $500 less than it used to be, and that’s what you’ve been waiting for, right? A $2,000 GPU is too much, but a $1,500 GPU is a different story (read: sarcasm). I’ve seen headlines left and right about the GPU market crashing, focusing solely on high-end graphics cards that most people can’t afford and frankly don’t want.
For price cuts, Nvidia slashed $500 off the RTX 3090 Ti, $200 off the RTX 3090, and $100 off the RTX 3080 Ti. the 12GB RTX 3080 it also technically received a price reduction to $800, but that GPU never had an official list price in the first place. All the other GPUs that Nvidia currently offers are still pretty good at the list price they launched two years ago.
Those cutouts technically only apply to Founder’s Edition cards, though there is a trickle-down effect on third-party cards from Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, and others. I’ve seen the price cuts as I update our GPU price roundup each week, following Nvidia’s top-end offerings drop over the course of a few weeks.
The problem is that those price reductions don’t reach the cards that really matter, like the RTX 3070 for 1440p gamers and the RTX 3060 for 1080p. Not only have these cards not received a price cut, they are still selling for up List price.
List above for all that matters
It’s no secret that the vast majority of PC gamers still play at 1080p, but you won’t find any of the best 1080p graphics cards sitting among the recent price cuts. take the Asus RTX 3060 ROG Strix V2 OC as an example. It should cost around $330 to $350 based on the list price of the RTX 3060, but it retails for $480 at press time.
You also find it further up the stack. The RTX 3070, which should cost around $500, retails for $650 minimum and above $700 maximum. The slightly more powerful RTX 3070 Ti is even worse, with the PNY RTX 3070 Ti XLR8 listed for almost $870 at some retailers. That doesn’t seem like a huge price cut.
I understand why Nvidia wants to cut prices, especially after some flashy launches like the 12GB RTX 3080. However, for all graphics cards that matter, you’re not only missing out on price cuts, you’re spending more than the list price. .
This issue applies exclusively to Nvidia graphics cards. AMD Sapphire RX 6750 XT Nitro+for example, is available at list price, while the MSI RX 6600 Mech 2X is available for $50 less than MSRP. Note that AMD hasn’t officially cut prices either; cards are dropping in price as a new generation approaches.
RTX 40 series, someday
You’d normally see GPU prices drop as a new generation approaches, and it’s long been rumored that Nvidia is ready to launch its RTX 40-series GPUs later this year. However, the latest rumors provide a glimpse of what might be happening to mainstream GPU prices right now.
The most recent rumors say that Nvidia is only launching an RTX 40 series GPU this year, while the rest will arrive in 2023. It’s just a rumor, so don’t take it as fact. It is, however, an interesting note in light of where mainstream GPU prices are right now and why Nvidia’s mid-range and low-end options haven’t seen a price cut.
AMD has already confirmed that its next generation RX7000 GPU it’s releasing in late 2022, and that has clearly had an impact on AMD graphics card prices across the board. Nvidia hasn’t officially said anything yet though, and if the range is delayed, that could push the price of RTX 30-series cards up for a few months.
I’m speculating, because I have no insight into the internal machinations at AMD or Nvidia. But the point is firm: if you’ve seen the recent GPU price cuts and are in the market for an Nvidia GPU, you may want to do some more research on price. Because, in most cases, everything below the RTX 3070 Ti is still sold on the list above.
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