In a nutshell: From one extreme to the other – that is the best way to describe the GPU market over the past couple of years. The 180 has seemingly happened so quickly that Newegg is now bundling additional hardware with GPUs to move inventory ASAP.
Getting your hands on a high-end graphics card like those from Nvidia’s 30 series has not been easy in recent memory thanks to a perfect storm involving the pandemic and subsequent component shortages and supply chain issues as well as scalpers and crypto miners. The worst appears to be in the rearview as pandemic restrictions have mostly lifted and the supply chain is gaining fluidity.
Ethereum’s recent switch to a proof-of-stake algorithm is no doubt going to flood the market with even more GPUs.
As of writing, you can score a Gigabyte Eagle OC RTX 3060 for $399.99 that comes with a Gigabyte 24-inch gaming monitor sporting a variable refresh rate of 165Hz / 180Hz. The card normally goes for $379.99 and the monitor is valued at $159.99, so you are getting a pretty solid deal.
A different combo pairs an RTX 3070 with a 27-inch curved QHD gaming monitor featuring a 165Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time and 83 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 color space. Individually, the RTX 3070 retails for $549.99 and the monitor sells for $229.99 but you can get them both together for $599.99 for a limited time.
Under normal market conditions, bundles like these would not be unheard of given the timing. Nvidia is mere days away from unveiling its RTX 4000 graphics cards, and purported leaked images are only fueling the fire. Clearing out inventory of soon-to-be last-gen cards only makes sense.
Even if you don’t necessarily need a new monitor, having a spare on hand can’t hurt. It could also serve as the basis for a new project or to spruce up an older build. If you are feeling extra generous, you could always gift it to someone in need.
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