GPU Buying Guide - (Read first post)

Benjamin Sanders76 said:Nothing dropped—prices are still staying ridiculously high.😵😵

Dropped? They've actually gone up 10% so far...

Honestly, the only option that seems to make any sense to me right now is the RX 6700, since it’s still sitting at that same price point we saw before. It probably isn't moving much, which suggests the price isn't actually that impressive, but I can't help but wonder... does anyone have any insight into why everyone seems to be avoiding it? Even Amazon feels like a bit of a letdown once you factor in all those shipping costs, and then there's the whole dilemma of browsing those overseas web shops with prices that look just a little too good to be true... hmmm...

wanderingbison9 said:Yeah, honestly, the only thing making sense to me right now is the RX 6700. It’s the only one still sitting at that old price point, which probably just means nobody's buying it because it isn't a "steal" anymore. I wonder why everyone is passing on it? Even Amazon is a total rip-off once you factor in the shipping costs, and I'm definitely not touching those sketchy overseas sites with prices that look too good to be true... hmmm...

You can grab a 6700XT for around $430 at a decent retailer.
https://www.mindfactory.de/product_i...l_1402737.html

Alexander Moore67 said:You can grab a solid 6700xt for about $450 right here
https://www.mindfactory.de/product_i...l_1402737.html

That’s an interesting find; I actually checked it out on Amazon earlier, and the form factor looks like it would fit my build perfectly. Now, I just need to see if they’ll ship directly to me or if I'll have to deal with a third-party freight forwarder.

It was already down to $450 during the last sale.

wiredotter14 said:Even at $429 during that last sale

See, this is exactly what I mean... those prices just aren't sane or realistic, are they? It wasn't some massive sitewide promotion; it was just a single unit being cleared out at that price.

Looking for some solid advice—what’s the best bang-for-your-buck GPU I can grab for under $1500?

I'm running this motherboard: https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard...ev-10-11-12#kf

Got a standard midi tower case for the build.

Thanks in advance!

Ronald Bishop58 said:I'm looking for some solid recommendations for a GPU that won't break the bank, ideally under $1500.

My motherboard is this https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard...ev-10-11-12#kf

I've got a standard mid-tower case.

Thanks in advance.

What really matters here is which CPU you're planning to pair with the new GPU. The motherboard isn't actually that significant in this equation...

steelfalcon71 said:It’s all about picking a CPU that won't bottleneck your new GPU. Honestly, the motherboard is pretty much an afterthought...

And let's not forget case dimensions. These modern cards are getting huge, like trying to fit a linebacker into a compact car. 😬

steelfalcon71 said:Your CPU is what really matters when you're pairing it with a new GPU. Honestly, the motherboard isn't even that big of a deal...

Intel Core i5-12400

Basically, it's the exact same graphics card at Best Buy $3000 as it is at Micro Center $2667, but the only real difference is the warranty coverage since one offers five years while those other two ☕

analogtiger19 said:Case dimensions actually matter big time lately—graphics cards are getting absolutely massive😬

That’s exactly why I mentioned my case is on the smaller side. I’ve got an Nvidia card with a dual-fan cooler in there right now, and it fits... barely. There's maybe 2cm of breathing room before it hits the side panel..

https://www.amazon.com/palit-rtx3060-dual/

Thinking about picking this up—looks alright to you guys?

Is it gonna be obsolete by next Tuesday, or can I actually squeeze another 5-7 years out of it if I don't push it too hard?

Ronald Bishop58 said:Looking for some solid recommendations for a GPU under $1500...

New or used? 😁
Are you actually serious?
You've got a high-end rig sitting there, yet you're penny-pinching on the most critical component. It makes zero sense.
🙄

Benjamin Sanders76 said:So it's essentially the same card whether you buy from Best Buy $3000 or directly through AMD $2667, it's just about the warranty—one offers 5 years while the other only gives you 2. ☕

A three-year gap in coverage isn't exactly "minor."
If it were me, I would gladly shell out an extra $1K just to secure that extra three years of peace of mind.

Ronald Bishop58 said:That’s why I went with a smaller case. I’ve got an Nvidia card with dual fans in there right now, and even then, I’ve only got about an inch of clearance before hitting the side panel..

https://www.newegg.com/xfx-amd-radeon-rx/p/
Given the case size and using an Intel Core i5-12400, I’d probably grab this one for $350.

ruggedmaker99 said:three years isn't exactly a small gap
personally, I'd drop an extra grand just for that extra three years of coverage

Who actually offers a shorter warranty? Which retailer and which card?

Basically, GPU and motherboard warranties in the US are either two or three years. Haven't heard of a single card coming with five years. Who's even issuing that kind of coverage?

A three-year gap isn't exactly negligible, either.

That’s exactly how I’m looking at it, too.

On another note, could someone give me a better idea of how much of a performance jump there actually is between these two cards?

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, 12GB GDDR6

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080, 10GB GDDR6X

One is a 3080Ti, while the other is just a standard 3080—different GPUs entirely. Plus, both are just the base models from those manufacturers

wiredotter14 said:Who actually offers longer warranties, which retailer, and through which credit card?
Standard practice in the US for GPUs and motherboards is a 2 or 3-year warranty. I have yet to encounter a graphics card boasting a 5-year guarantee. Who exactly is the guarantor in that scenario?

I did not say that:

Benjamin Sanders76 said:That is exactly how I am looking at it!!!
But can someone please elaborate on whether there is a significant performance gap between these two cards?
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, 12GB GDDR6
MSI GeForce RTX 3080, 10GB GDDR6X

What do you mean, "what difference"?
One is a Ti model (with 12GB), while the other is not (and only has "just" 10GB).
To put it bluntly, that is a substantial gap—I would estimate at least a 10-15% advantage
in favor of the Ti model, just so we are clear on the facts.
The price tag likely reflects that disparity accordingly.
Ultimately, it comes down to basic economics: you get what you pay for.🙂

ruggedmaker99 said:That's not what I said:

I know it wasn't you. Regardless, there aren't any links out there for a card with a 5-year warranty.