GPU prices crash — it may finally be time to buy a new Nvidia or AMD graphics card

(Image credit: Nvidia)

Update: Powerful Nvidia RTX 30-series graphics cards crash in price — get upgrading now.

Now might finally be the time to begin seeking out where to buy an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080, as prices for it and the rest of the GeForce 30-series cards are taking a tumble and restocks are appearing to last longer.

According to 3DCenter’s price analysis for new graphics cards, retail prices are on a downward trend and might finally normalize in May, to the extent you may be able to buy a powerful Nvidia or AMD GPU for its MSRP.

And hardware maker Asus told our colleagues over at PC Gamer that it’s “reducing MSRP aggressively” for its graphics cards across all configurations. Best Buy is one of the retailers that currently has a number of RTX 3080 GPUs in stock.

Furthermore, some research by PC Gamer found that stock levels for graphics cards at U.S., U.K. and European retailers show a lot more GPUs are actually available to buy or are listed as in stock. Though senior hardware editor Jacob Ridley did note that only some GPUs could be found at MSRP.

But this combination of stock staying on shelves for longer, one of the largest graphics card makers touting aggressive pricing and a general downward trend in GPU prices is all good news for people looking to get hold of a new graphics card for their gaming PC.

It’s also an indication that the great chip shortage of 2020 and 2021, which has impacted everything from PS5 restocks and Xbox Series X restocks to chips for cars, may be coming to an end. We’d caveat that with a warning to proceed with caution, as there’s still very high demand for new graphics cards and not every supplier is going to have excess stock.

But with future GPU architectures reportedly on the horizon in the form of Nvidia Lovelace and AMD’s RDNA 3, card makers aren't likely to want to find themselves sitting on a load of current-gen cards when the next-gen is looming. And as a result, we could see more aggressive pricing in the graphics card market, as manufacturers aim to move stock.

If you want a new graphics card in the next month or so, or indeed one of our picks for the best gaming PCs loaded with a powerful GPU, then it's looking promising that you could get one without overpaying for it.

Roland Moore-Colyer a Managing Editor at Tom’s Guide with a focus on news, features and opinion articles. He often writes about gaming, phones, laptops and other bits of hardware; he’s also got an interest in cars. When not at his desk Roland can be found wandering around London, often with a look of curiosity on his face.