Update: with Crysis 4 is now officialEven in the face of the challenges of component shortages, it might be time to consider getting a new gaming PC.
If you want a powerful GPU in your PC, you may need to make a shopping decision that you haven’t had before. No, it does not spend a lot on the GPU from the seller. I’m talking about buying a gaming PC.
The inconvenient truth about GPU shortages is that demand has consistently outweighed supply during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even with the epidemic coming to an end, the demand for GPUs remains extraordinarily high – not only from gamers, but also from cryptocurrency miners. A month ago, Nvidia warned that the shortage of the RTX 3080 is not just an issue right now, but it will hit us in 2022 as well.
I’m admittedly new to this conversation. I’ve gone from never needing a gaming PC to loving a decent solid lender over the past five months. But I paid enough attention to the annoying lack of chips to see the odds of finding a standalone GPU.
Find a GPU
When you search for an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 GPU online right now, you’ll see prices hovering around $1,300 to $1,600. This is a 100% to 200% markup on the original graphics card’s $499 MSRP. Of course, Google doesn’t quite help, it casts mirages in places where they don’t belong. For example: The search engine displays a listing for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 GPU in the shopping results for a 3070 search.
Or you can try playing the lottery. If you sign up for the Newegg Shuffle, for example, you’ll get a file opportunity To buy one of these rare GPUs. Prices in this scenario are quite affordable, but still cost at least $649. It’s a powerful reminder that everyone is now trying to test our spending limits.
It’s funny (and unfortunately) that the Newegg Shuffle got weird on May 25th. The service tried to sell readers kettles, Uber Eats gift cards, and… fruit refreshments? Oh, and while Newegg had an Asus ROG Strix RTX 3070, it cost $859. I don’t want to win a contest where my bonus pays a little less profit.
I’ve already spent a lot of time getting the PS5, and I’m wondering if it’s a good use of my time and energy. Likewise, my colleague Marshall Honorof says it’s best to accept the current lack of chips and its effects on consoles and GPUs. But, with all due respect to Marshall, what if you don’t want to accept him?
Pre-designed Gaming PC Features
This is when you have to accept that it is time to buy a pre-built machine. why? Because this lack of a GPU can hardly hold back the likes of Dell and other OEMs.
Dell XPS 8940 Special Edition with Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 (plus Core i7-11700 CPU, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $1,749. Shipping takes approximately a month.
Want 3070 instead? This will run you $149, and Dell estimates the system will ship in about two weeks.
If you are looking forward to the power of a new GPU, this might be your best bet. This is especially true when the prices of fully-made hardware are slightly higher than the prices of used standalone GPUs.
Prefabricated Pros and Cons
Admittedly, it can be a bit of a waste to buy a whole new tower if your current system is still working. Plus, if you’re used to building your own gaming PCs (or know anyone), you can view these pre-built systems with the same skeptical look while viewing GPU price inflation.
Yes, you could build this PC for less — or at least, you could if demand didn’t hit the show any harder than Godzilla beat Kong in their last movie. You also have less control over a pre-built system.
But, honestly, I’m comparing these prices because I know I’m going to need a new gaming device sooner rather than later. This is the narrow angle we are now pushed into.
Personally, I appreciate the time I will save by buying a pre-made computer rather than chasing the Internet waiting to win. Likewise, there are always some risks inherent in building your own gaming PC. You’ll learn very little the first time you make a mistake, but you can also create an expensive and time-consuming tech support pit.