It solely took about two years, however I lastly purchased an NVIDIA RTX 3070 final month. Alongside the best way, I attempted nearly all the pieces I may to get my arms 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.

In the event you haven’t adopted the market, Bitcoin and Ethereum’s slide has dramatically affected GPU costs, significantly on the NVIDIA aspect 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. In response to some experiences, the difficulty is so unhealthy that NVIDIA might push again the discharge of its next-generation Ada Lovelace structure to the tip of the 12 months to offer its companions time to promote their present inventory. Both method, you should buy a current-generation GPU with out leaping via hoops for the primary time in practically 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. Until the US decides to control cryptocurrencies, it’s exhausting 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 available for purchase, they won’t be simple to seek out.

All indicators level to the corporate opening the Ada Lovelace era with RTX 4090, 4080 and 4070 fashions. Not solely will these possible be dearer than their 30-series counterparts, however it’s also possible to wager they’ll be in excessive demand amongst avid gamers who need the most recent and best – significantly the 4070 as essentially the most mainstream mannequin of the trio.

For these causes, I assumed there could be a brief window the place I may purchase a brand new GPU at an affordable 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 battle to keep up a constant fee of 60 frames per second in video games like Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order at 1440p. The very fact the 1660 Ti doesn’t embrace 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 diminished high quality.

I can safely say I received’t remorse shopping for the RTX 3070 with its successor proper across the nook. Taking part in video games like God of Struggle with all graphical settings maxed out and and not using 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. Typically I feel we get so caught up making an attempt to drag off the right buy that we don’t purchase the product that will serve our wants nicely proper now. I’m glad I didn’t fall into that entice.