Graphics Card Prices Set to Fall as Ethereum Bubble Bursts - WinBuzzer (2024)
Back last month, we reported on a curious case of huge graphics card price increases. GPU prices soared under a resurgence in cryptocurrency. Customers mining the currency Ethereum led to a supply and demand issue. Manufacturers did not have enough cards on the market, so graphics card prices went high.
There is now evidence of market normalization and prices even starting to come down. GPU prices are still high, but they are moving in the right direction again. Whether this means the mining boom is over, or whether Ethereum traders are waiting for a lull before another onslaught, remains to be seen.
However, it does seem as though falling prices coincide with a general decline in the value of the cryptocurrency.
A Ethereum mining craze severely damaged the GPU market. Not least for gamers and other customers who make graphics card a normally niche product. Ethereum has been growing in popularity and value for years, but it has exploded in 2017.
For example, the price of the currency rose from $10 in January 2017 to a peak of $400 in June. The 4000% increase in value meant more people were mining. GPUs or CPUs can be used to extract (or mine) the currency, but most people prefer the former simply because they perform better. With the price of ‘Ether' increasing, so did the demand for GPUs, causing a market pinch.
Now, Ethereum is on a downward trend towards normalization. There are no signs this is a boom and bust cycle, but merely the currency returning to where it should be. Since the peak $400 value last month, an Ether has slipped in value to around $189 by July 14. Still high yes, 1800% above January in fact, but enough to have an impact on GPU prices.
Reasons for this are many, but laying the finger at over speculation and the increased difficulty of mining Ethereum is a good start. As in the case of Bitcoin, the more Ethereum units are existing already, more computational and thus GPU-power is needed to mine additional ones. In the beginning of July a huge spike in Ethereum mining difficulty took place, accelerating the ongoing price-decline even more.
We are in an odd situation where the GPU market seems to be moving in relation with Ethereum. At the peak last month, Graphics card prices went through the proverbial roof. As we pointed out, it was possible to sell off a previously purchased GPU for more than its original price. Yes, you could make money of graphics cards.
This was obviously fantastic for retailers selling the processors, but less so for normal customers (such as gamers) who wanted to buy them.
Like Ethereum, GPU prices are now declining back towards normalization. They are certainly not there yet, but signs are showing across major online stores that prices are coming down.
Graphic Card Prices Coming Down
Last month, eBay because a place reminiscent of the Gold Rush. Customers were rushing to bid on GPU auction and were paying well over the odds to get old or used cards. While ‘Buy it Now' prices on eBay remain the same, we are seeing some auctioned GPUs go for less than that dizzy peak a month ago. Ebay Germany has seen a huge increase of GPU-auctions in the last days which could be a sign that wanna-be Ethereum-miners have started to jump off.
At the moment, it is market prediction, but there is enough evidence to show that Ethereum's gradual slide back to normalcy will allow GPU prices to fall. Once again, graphics cards will become a niche product.
When will GPU prices return to normal? Graphics cards are cheaper now than in 2021, and prices have continued to drop. Although some models are still overpriced, it's safe to say that GPU prices have returned to normal now. Prices may rise again near the end of the year, but it's hard to say for sure right now.
Nvidia cards are much more popular. So people are attracted more towards them although AMD cards aren't bad either. The top GPU cards are the ones manufactured by Nvidia (For example - Titan X, GTX 1080ti) which are faster and much more powerful than that of AMDs. Some people think More many= More value.
Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Prime Day are perfect for picking up a range of bargain graphics cards. Not only can you find the previous generations at a more affordable price, but you can often find the latest cards at a price that won't require a second mortgage to buy.
Nvidia refreshed its 40-series lineup at the start of 2024 with the new Super models. Of the three, the RTX 4070 Super will likely interest be of interest to the most people.
According to estimates by investment services firm Raymond James (via @firstadopter), Nvidia B200s will cost Nvidia in excess of $6,000 to make, compared with the estimated $3320 production costs of the H100.
Nvidia graphics cards are typically more expensive than AMD graphics cards. However, Nvidia cards offer better performance and features than AMD cards. If you're looking for the best possible performance, then Nvidia is the way to go. However, if you're on a budget, then AMD is a good option.
If you find your screen is freezing, going black, or giving your blue screen errors, it could be a sign that your graphics card is dying. However, these problems can also be caused by malware, memory (RAM) problems, or even a dying hard drive. Check if your visuals are lagging or stuttering.
Consider what games you play, as less demanding titles do not need a lot of processing power. If you're a 1080p gamer, you should spend about $200–$400. For 1440p gaming, the sweet spot is between $500–$700, though you can always use upscaling.
✅ You want the best: The RTX 4090 is simply the most powerful GPU you can buy for your gaming PC today. The silicon inside it is monstrously powerful, and along with DLSS3 and Frame Generation, it provides a truly next-gen experience. ✅ You want to nail 4K gaming: This is the card that makes 4K gaming buttery smooth.
If you want the absolute most powerful graphics card you can get for your £500 budget, then the Nvidia RTX 2070 Super is the card for you. Released in July 2019 as part of the RTX Turing generation's refresh, it features a cut-down version of the RTX 2080 GPU, but doesn't fall far behind in terms of its performance.
Some companies will recycle or refurbish used electronics, and these can sometimes offer a much higher price than selling the GPU, depending on the quality of the graphics card. You can also recycle your old graphics cards by taking them to an e-waste recycling center.
RTX 30-series restock events tend to happen at least once or twice a month at Best Buy. It's a matter of knowing when they strike, and acting fast. Best Buy also holds many online restock events, and it's the online restock events that are generally your best chance at scoring graphics cards.
Most PC users sell their GPUs because they want to upgrade to a newer model. If your current GPU doesn't offer the necessary specs to play the games you want or to use professional graphics applications, it's probably time to consider selling or trading it in.
The 4070 Super Founders Edition is black with black highlights, removing the silver highlights from the regular 4070. The 4070 Super Founders Edition is black with black highlights, removing the silver highlights from the regular 4070.
Additionally, the social distancing measures and other safety protocols implemented in factories further slowed down chip production. All these factors resulted in a severe shortage of chips, with GPUs included. As of 2023, there is still a global shortage of chips.
These are important cards, and messing up the next one would be a disaster. The RTX 4060 is not a disaster. Ultimately, it a very capable 1080p graphics card, a technical upgrade on the RTX 3060, and (unlike several other RTX 40 series GPUs) arrives at a reasonable price.
It is perfect for every type of gamer, capable of running casual entry-level titles such as Fortnite or Stardew Valley to AAA games including Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077. Regardless of your choice of game, the RTX 3060 will render the world in smooth realistic light on max settings at 1440p.
Introduction: My name is Fr. Dewey Fisher, I am a powerful, open, faithful, combative, spotless, faithful, fair person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
