Let’s face it: This wasn’t the best year to buy a GPU. It’s not been quite as bad as 2021, but it was still bad.
I won’t say things are perfect now, but for the first time this year, GPU prices aren’t downright terrible. So is it finally time to get yourself a new graphics card?
This was an expensive year for GPUs
I know, it kind of always is these days
Credit: Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
Although it feels like forever ago, this was the year that brought us a bunch of new releases. Nvidia launched the RTX 50-series, and AMD soon followed with the RX 9000 series. Intel’s budget-but-mighty Arc B580 was technically released at the tail end of 2024, and the B570 followed in mid-January 2025. It’s been radio silence ever since.
With so many new GPUs, you’d think that after the initial hype, we’d be faced with an abundant GPU market. Lots of options, both current generation and the previous, from entry-level to high-end — surely that’d give us reasonable prices?
Unfortunately, that never happened. GPUs stayed expensive throughout the year.
The prices are finally starting to normalize (kind of)
They sure took their sweet time
Credit: AMD
Things had to get worse before they got better.
AMD’s RX 9070 XT, while excellent, only stayed close to its MSRP for a short time. Even now, eight months after its initial launch, it’s not quite there yet, but it’s getting pretty close. Unfortunately, AMD has recently reportedly told its board partners that price hikes are on the horizon, so it’s only a matter of time before those increases trickle down to the consumer market.
It’s only recently that I’ve started regularly seeing cards like the RTX 5070 Ti on sale at MSRP. Some models, like the RTX 5060, have always been available at list price; meanwhile, the RTX 5090 hardly ever falls under $2,500.
At the time of writing, you can find most of Nvidia’s RTX 50-series GPUs up for sale at MSRP. The RTX 5080 and the RTX 5090 are the two heavily overpriced exceptions.
AMD’s RX 9070 XT is approaching MSRP, and the rest of the lineup is already there.
It’ll be a while before we get anything better
Might as well jump on those GPU deals while you can
Credit: Ismar Hrnjicevic / How-To Geek
It’s not just that the prices are finally normalizing; it’s also that this is the best we’re going to get for some time.
Nvidia is said to be working on the RTX 50 Super refresh. Some leakers teased a potential January 2026 launch, but they’ve changed their minds. It’s now looking like the RTX 50 Super may not arrive until the second half of the year.
It’s hard to say what AMD is plotting at this point, but it doesn’t seem to me like we’ll be getting any new AMD cards in the near future.
As for the next generations of GPUs, those are far, far away. We’re unlikely to see any next-gen cards until 2027.
Last-gen GPUs aren’t doing so well
The prices don’t add up
Credit: Justin Duino / How-To Geek
In the previous generation of GPUs (meaning RDNA 3 and RTX 40-series), the previous gens (RDNA 2 and RTX 30-series) remained relevant for a long time.
This time around, manufacturers and retailers prepared well, so the stock of last-gen cards has largely depleted. You can still find them; they’re just often expensive.
AMD’s RX 7900 XT would be a good deal if not for the fact that the RX 9070 non-XT costs about the same. Meanwhile, the last-gen flagship RX 7900 XTX can be bought well below MSRP these days, but unless you’re a die-hard fan of AMD, you’ll get a better deal by buying the Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti.
Nvidia’s stock of last-gen cards isn’t great, but you may sometimes score a deal on an RTX 4070 or an RTX 4060 Ti. Overall, you’re usually better off shopping for current-gen cards.
Buying used GPUs can be an option, but is now the right time?
It never hurts to look for deals, but…
Credit: Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
This time of year is not at all bad if you want to buy a used GPU. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales and the holidays right around the corner, some people will upgrade their GPU and will likely want to get rid of their previous card. With that said, it’s important to be careful.
Buying a used GPU on online marketplaces can get sketchy. Double- and triple-check all the prices, seller information, and return policies. If the GPU isn’t cheaper by a large margin, you’re better off saving up to buy something new that’s still under warranty.
Don’t wait, because GPU prices could get worse
Here we go again
Credit: Ismar Hrnjicevic / How-To Geek
It’s been a long year for GPUs. We’ve had some great releases, some “meh” releases, and some disappointments. The biggest disappointment of all was how impossible it was to score a GPU at a reasonable price.
Things are finally improving. You can get most GPUs at their recommended list price, with a couple of Nvidia outliers still being overpriced. This period of relative calm won’t last, though.
The ongoing RAM-pocalypse has sent the market for another spin in the worst way. RAM isn’t worth buying even during Black Friday or Cyber Monday sales, and its prices might still go up. Unfortunately, this also affects VRAM (video memory) pricing, which means that GPUs will take a hit, too.
AMD has reportedly already raised its prices, and Nvidia is likely to follow suit. Moreover, Nvidia is reportedly no longer going to bundle the GPU and the VRAM when selling to its board partners. That would leave GPU manufacturers to search for sources of VRAM all on their own, which could make the whole process more costly, or even impossible for smaller vendors.
If you need a GPU, I’d go ahead and buy one now. It’s not a guarantee that prices will go up in the new year, but it does seem likely, and we’re not getting anything new in the next few months. Take advantage of this lull in the GPU market before it gets worse yet again.
Credit: PowerColor / Amazon
Graphics RAM Size
16GB
Brand
PowerColor
Boost Clock Speed
2,460MHz
AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 XT is a direct competitor to the RTX 5070 Ti. It offers solid performance, and now, for the first time in months, it’s somewhat close to its MSRP of $599.
