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Finding the best cheap graphics card deals shouldn’t be overlooked if you’re looking to build your own gaming PC. As the beating heart of any respectable setup, it’s incredibly important to make sure you’re getting the right GPU and paying the right price for it. With graphics card prices finally settling back into some form of normality it’s finally a great time to be thinking about upgrading, too. To help our readers get the best GPU for their needs, we’ve rounded up all the best graphics card prices and deals into one handy page right here, factoring in US, UK, and Australian retailers.
What’s your price range?
As you probably already know, graphics card prices have been on a wild ride over the past two years or so. Initially, we saw a huge surge in demand brought on by the cryptocurrency mining fad. That’s very much trailed off now and we’re starting to see more and more graphics card deals crop up at the major retailers worldwide.
While Nvidia cards are still a little pricey (demand remains high), many AMD cards are actually falling below their recommended launch MSRP currently. This means it’s possible to get some best graphics cards on the market without completely breaking the bank at the moment – something that was unheard of just 12 months ago. Overall, it’s a great time to be building a gaming PC, although we’d always urge that buyers weigh up their options carefully before committing.
That’s where our graphics card deals page comes in handy. Not only do you have the best prices here but you’ll also find a ton of unbiased no-nonsense buyers’ advice should you be unsure about what card to go for.
High-end graphics cards comparison
High-end graphics cards represent the very best and most cutting-edge offerings from Nvidia and AMD. They’re designed from the ground up to push the very limits of graphical performance in the latest games, usually at 1440p and even 4K resolutions. As you’ve guessed, these cards don’t come cheap – ranging all the way up to over $1,500 / £1,500 in extreme cases.
Subsequently, we wouldn’t recommend these high-end graphics cards to everyone. They can be overkill for consumer-grade gaming and likely to be severely bottlenecked unless you pair them with a suitably powerful processor. That said, if you’re an enthusiast who wants the smoothest action possible on a high-end monitor, there’s no real replacement for a suitably beefy GPU in your machine.
Mid-range graphics cards comparison
Mid-range graphics cards are where most gamers are likely to settle if they’re performance-focused and don’t mind spending a bit of cash. For example, if you’ve got a 1440p monitor and want to play the latest games on a relatively high graphical setting smoothly, then this is a good price bracket to aim for.
These cards tend to have lower power requirements than the high-end GPUs but will still offer a good level of performance depending on the game. They may also handle 4K gaming relatively well at a stretch, but 4K gamers will likely be better served by opting for a higher-end option if they want to future-proof their setup.
Budget graphics card comparison
Don’t let the name fool you – budget graphics cards are actually pretty good. If you’re target is to game at 1080p resolution smoothly, for example, then they can provide more than enough power for the majority of games. They’re also great for games that require less power, such as older titles, eSports titles, or strategy titles where the graphics are secondary to gameplay.
Cheaper graphics cards also tend to require less power and feature smaller form factors, which can be particularly handy if you’re planning on building a PC inside a more compact case. All in all, they’re a great choice in their own right, although we obviously wouldn’t recommend them to those gamers who need the best performance on the market.
Frequently asked questions
Are graphics card prices back to normal now?
Yes and no. The days of massive graphics card shortages and outrageous eBay scalpers are firmly in the past now. That said, some cards still stubbornly sell for prices that exceed MSRP, even years after the initial launch dates in some cases.
Compounding this issue is inflation and the propensity for manufacturers to offer the latest cards at a higher starting price versus the older models. For example, the latest RTX 4070 from Nvidia comes in at $599 at launch – which isn’t bad – but it’s actually 20% more than the $519 asking price for the previous RTX 3070. Next gen cards on the whole are still pretty in-accessible to budget gamers looking to spend under $500.
There are a few exceptions to this, however. For example, Intel‘s new Arc range of graphics cards are shaping up to be great budget options that get more compelling with each driver update. Both AMD and Nvidia have yet to release their next-gen budget cards too, so there’s potential for some great value cards in 2023 and 2024.
Why were graphics card prices so high?
Put simply, it’s because demand massively outstripped supply from early 2020 to late 2021. The global pandemic, chip shortages, and the continued popularity of using GPUs for cryptocurrency farming were all compounding factors here.
While there are a lot of disagreements in regards to these factors, it’s generally agreed that cryptocurrency mining is the main culprit. For example, The Economist last year published a report that found a strong correlation between the rise of second-hand GPU prices and the value of Ethereum – the most popular cryptocurrency for GPU mining. Interestingly, they also compared these values to CPU prices, which were seemingly unaffected by the rise of Ethereum, suggesting increasing demand from gamers isn’t to blame overall.
That said, no one can deny that the popularity of PC gaming hasn’t boomed over the past few years. For context, Steam, the world’s biggest online PC gaming platform saw a 20% increase in the number of titles purchased via its store in 2021 and a staggering 50% increase in hours played. Subsequently, it’s no surprise that graphics cards – the most vital component in any respectable gamers rig – were in short supply.
What’s the best bang for the buck graphics card?
The best cheap graphics card is going to depend on your requirements – specifically, do you need a card that’s capable of running games on a 1440p monitor or do you just need something for 1080p? If you can settle for a smaller monitor you’ll generally be able to get a card that offers better bang for the buck.
For example, something like the Intel Arc A770, Nvidia RTX 3060, or AMD RX 6600 XT are all great choices for a card that can play games at ultra graphical settings at 1080p resolution. The Arc A770 in particular is a card that’s capable of outstanding performance for the price, although driver issues with older games in particular have seen some prefer to opt for the tried and true RTX 3060 and RX 6600 XT. If you’re going to be playing DX12 (recent) titles, then the Arc A770 is a fantastic choice right now, however.
If you’re looking to run a 1440p monitor, then you may be able to get away with the Arc A770 or an RTX 3060 if you’re willing to sacrifice a few settings or can accept playing a demanding game at sub-60 FPS. For high performance, however, something like the RTX 4070 is a notable choice for 1440p since it’ll easily run nearly any game at ultra settings over 60fps thanks to DLSS. At $599 / £599 it’s not a cheap card, but it’s arguably offering a lot of value for enthusiast gamers since it’s fairly future proof and will even play most titles at 4K with reasonable performance.
The best online retailers for graphics cards
Here’s a list of the best retailers to check in for graphics card prices specifically. We’ve linked directly to the relevant pages, so all you need to do is follow these links and bookmark them.
As a first port of call, for Nvidia cards we’d recommend checking in at the official site primarily for both the US and UK. They sell founders edition cards for their retail price, so you absolutely won’t get upcharges for buying direct. As you’d expect, however, Nvidia sells out very quickly indeed and you’ll have to be prepared to jump on a card if you see one for a normal price.
Best Buy, B&H Photo, Amazon and Newegg are all good retailers to check in on in the US, although you’ll want to keep an eye out for inflated prices at the latter two. In the UK, we’d recommend going to Overclockers specifically and signing up to price notifications on the specific graphic card deals your looking for.
If you’re looking for an RTX 3080 specifically, we’ve got a separate where to buy Nvidia RTX 3080 guide that’s updated daily with the latest information – we recommend checking in there if you’re looking for this premium card.
Check out our page on the ongoing 4th of July sales – now currently available at many retailers.
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