It solely took about two years, however I lastly purchased an NVIDIA RTX 3070 final month. Alongside the best way, I attempted virtually every thing I may to get my palms on one on the precise retail value. I joined Discord servers devoted to posting inventory alerts. I discovered Twitter accounts that did the identical for Canadian retailers. However regardless of how persistent I used to be, I may by no means beat everybody else who wished a 3070 simply as a lot as I did. By the point summer time got here, I used to be prepared to surrender, and I’d have if not for the crypto crash.

When you haven’t adopted the market, Bitcoin and Ethereum’s slide has dramatically affected GPU costs, notably on the NVIDIA facet of issues. The corporate’s add-in board companions, companies like ASUS and EVGA that produce nearly all of GPUs you should buy, are reportedly battling overstock after crypto-miners flooded the used market with low-cost 30-series video playing cards. Based on some studies, the problem is so dangerous that NVIDIA might push again the discharge of its next-generation Ada Lovelace structure to the top of the yr to present its companions time to promote their current inventory. Both manner, you should buy a current-generation GPU with out leaping via hoops for the primary time in almost two years.

After I lastly pulled the set off on my ASUS Twin RTX 3070, I paid $740 CAD earlier than tax or about $565 USD. I in all probability may have discovered a used mannequin for much less, however I made a decision I used to be okay with spending extra to get a video card with a full guarantee that somebody hadn’t abused for crypto-mining.

What you in all probability what to know is why I didn’t wait a bit longer for NVIDIA’s next-generation GPUs to reach. The reply is twofold. Except the US decides to control cryptocurrencies, it’s onerous to see a future the place the market doesn’t recuperate and mining turns into profitable once more. Even when that doesn’t occur, by the point NVIDIA’s new GPUs are that can be purchased, they won’t be simple to search out.

All indicators level to the corporate opening the Ada Lovelace technology with RTX 4090, 4080 and 4070 fashions. Not solely will these seemingly be dearer than their 30-series counterparts, however you can even guess they’ll be in excessive demand amongst avid gamers who need the most recent and best – notably the 4070 as essentially the most mainstream mannequin of the trio.

For these causes, I assumed there can be a brief window the place I may purchase a brand new GPU at an inexpensive value. That I used to be working a GTX 1660 Ti with a QHD monitor made my choice simpler. I used to be beginning to see the 1660 Ti generally wrestle to take care of a constant price of 60 frames per second in video games like Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order at 1440p. The very fact the 1660 Ti doesn’t embody NVIDA’s DLSS upscaling know-how additionally meant I used to be taking a look at a future the place I must play some video games at decreased high quality.

I can safely say I gained’t remorse shopping for the RTX 3070 with its successor proper across the nook. Enjoying video games like God of Struggle with all graphical settings maxed out and with out a single hiccup has been pleasant. Much more revelatory has been revisiting video games like Management and eventually having the ability to expertise them with ray tracing. Generally I feel we get so caught up attempting to drag off the proper buy that we don’t purchase the product that may serve our wants effectively proper now. I’m glad I didn’t fall into that lure.