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Why Graphics Cards Are Even More Expensive in 2021 [Updated]

Why Graphics Cards Are Even More Expensive in 2021 [Updated]
Credit: Peter Gudella -  (Shutterstock)

Nvidia and AMD’s high-end graphics cards were already expensive in 2020 (if you could find them), but their prices are only going up. And we’re finally starting to see just how dramatic these price hikes are going to be.

As of December 31, 2020, GPUs and motherboards are now included in tariffs the Trump administration placed on Chinese imports. These PC components were previously exempt from said tariffs, but those exceptions expired at the end of last year and no extensions have been applied. That means prices are rising by as much as 25 percent for high-end GPUs—including Nvidia’s new RTX 3090, 3080, 3070, and 3060 Ti, and AMD’s RX 6800 and RX 6800 XT.

Nvidia and AMD’s latest GPUs were nearly impossible to buy in 2020 to begin with, as COVID-19 affected manufacturing and supply chains. Retailers typically sold out in mere seconds every time they restocked, no thanks to scalpers and cryptocurrency miners that used bots to buy up as many graphics cards as possible.

The purchasing experience got bad enough that many retailers implemented anti-bot tactics like waitlists, more aggressive human verification systems, and strict limits on how many GPUs customers can purchase. However, these tariffs are only going to make the process more difficult—and expensive—even if you’re lucky enough to score a card.

Just a few days after the tariff exemptions expired, several third-party graphics-card manufacturers and custom PC companies updated their prices to account for the new import taxes.

ASUS was one of the first to raise prices, and its products have seen some of the most drastic price hikes so far. For example:

  • ROG Strix 24GB GeForce RTX 3070: was $500, now $780.

  • ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3090: was $1,500, now $2,110.

  • ASUS TUF Radeon RX 6800 XT: was $810, now $970.

  • ROG Strix Radeon RX 6800 XT LC: was $900, now $1,080.

EVGA’s GPUs are more expensive, too, but the hikes aren’t that big (at least for now). EVGA sells many custom cards, but on average, most are just $70-$90 more after the tariff changes. Here’s a quick rundown of the price differences for its more “affordable” RTX 3000 series cards:

  • EVGA 8GB GeForce RTX 3070 Black Gaming: was $560, now $630.

  • EVGA 10GB GeForce RTX 3080 Ultra Gaming: was $730, now $800.

Like ASUS, EVGA is giving its customers a head’s up about the sudden price tag updates. It is also honoring the previous price points until April 16, 2021 for customers who have already joined its waitlist and can manage to buy one before the deadline. Going forward, however, anyone who signs up for the waitlist will have to pay the higher prices.

Not every company is being as transparent about the price increases, however. Zotac boosted the MSRP for its graphics cards without warning and has yet to release a statement about the change. Here’s a selection of the updated prices for its Nvidia cards:

  • ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3060 Ti: was $440, now $530.

  • ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3070: was $540, now $640.

  • ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3080: was $750, now $840.

  • ZOTAC GeForce RTX 3090: was $1550, now $1900.

The above prices are valid as of January 13, 2021, but could change at any time.

The tariffs don’t just affect GPUs, either; SSDs, CPUs, power supply units, and other PC components could all see price hikes between seven and 25%. As Tom’s Hardware notes, the price increases for these items probably won’t be as severe as the increase to GPUs, but if you’re buying or building a new PC, or upgrading several pieces of an existing rig, you’ll definitely notice the difference.

Our best advice for anyone looking to build or upgrade their PC right now is to shop wisely and be thorough in your research. You can’t avoid the price hikes, but you also don’t have to buy a scalped overpriced GPU on eBay or Facebook Marketplace just because one is available.

Resources like VideoCardz.com, GPUBoss, Reddit (r/GPU, r/GraphicsCards, r/nvidia, r/amd), Google’s Shopping tab, and even Discord communities can help you compare specs and prices and find available stock. At some point, graphics card quantities will stabilize (we hope), and buying a new graphics card from a legit retailer at normal MSRP will be easier—even if the GPU costs more than what it did at launch.

It’s also possible new GPUs will launch that are cheaper, or drive down the price of the current high-end models. In fact, Nvidia just announced the GeForce RTX 3060—which will serve as its “entry-level” RTX 3000 series card—and a new line of mobile RTX 3000 mobile GPUs for laptops. At the very least, having more models to choose from could improve your chances of buying the card you want. Until then, shop smart, but be prepared to pay a little extra because of politics; if you can wait it out until we can see what a Democrat-led government does about the tariffs, if anything, it might be worth your wallet to do so.

The article was originally published on Jan. 11, 2021 and was updated Jan. 13, 2021 with specific price changes for Nvidia and AMD GPUs, AMD and Nvidia’s statements about GPU shortages, information on Nvidia’s newest RTX 3000-series announcements.