GPU pricing tumbles towards MSRP after crypto crash

After years of inflated prices, GPU pricing is finally normalizing towards MSRP with regular stock. Some speculate that this is due to Bitcoin losing over 27% of its total value in the last month alone. 

GPU pricing has begun to fall after years of inflated costs. Nvidia’s RTX 30 series offering and AMD’s 6000 series have had eye-watering prices for almost two years. One of the main factors in the latest drop in pricing is the volatility of the cryptocurrency market. Bitcoin has lost over 27% of its value over the last month.

Additional factors like demand have also played a part in GPU pricing falling. Nvidia and AMD are both due to announce successors to their current graphics card lineup, which could also be another reason why prices have dropped. Tom’s Hardware reports that due to lower profitability on the crypto market, you could also potentially grab a bargain on a used GPU at resale sites.

Should you buy a GPU right now?

Just because a GPU is now at MSRP doesn’t mean you have to rush out and purchase one. Higher-end cards like the RTX 3080 and RX 6800 XT are now two years old. This means you could be regretting your purchase if the 4080 or 7800 releases with a similar MSRP. GPU pricing tends to be around the same between different generations. If you are looking for a lower-end card like the RTX 3060 Ti, it’s a good time to buy. This is because you wouldn’t see a mid-range card in a new generation of graphics cards launch until six or seven months after its flagship counterparts, giving the lower-end slightly more value.

Upcoming cards in the Nvidia Lovelace architecture are also bound to suck up a bit more power than their current-generation counterparts if reputable leaker Kopite7Kimi is to be believed. With rising energy pricing across the globe, it might be worth making sure that your PC isn’t adding to an already inflated cost.

Should you buy a used GPU?

The market for used graphics cards is booming. GPU pricing for current and old-generation cards alike are now at prices we could have only dreamed of a year ago. However, there are always some risks to take into account before you buy. Used graphics cards have no warranty attacked to them, so if anything goes wrong, or if the card quickly becomes faulty, you’ll be left out of luck.

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You should also take into account cards that might have been used in cryptocurrency mining operations. While the prices look attractive, they might have additional signs of wear and tear or a reduced lifespan. But, if you are just looking for something on the cheaper end of the spectrum or a backup graphics card, it’s not a terrible idea to pick one up from sites such as eBay, especially because we’re now seeing pricing drop so dramatically.