Are you looking for the best computer hardware to increase the performance of your PC? So you couldn't have missed the shortage of graphics cards. Victims of their success, the RTX 30 series are still out of stock on many merchant sites. But where have the graphics cards gone? Where does this crisis come from and above all what should we hope for 2022? We are going to take stock of this hot topic around hardware.
The shortage of graphics cards: a crisis that has lasted for several months
The high-tech market has been experiencing a major shortage for a little over a year. It affects not only graphics cards, but also different materials and even certain consoles.
Since their release at the end of 2020, the Nvidia RTX 30 series graphics cards have experienced phenomenal popularity. A significant demand to which supply has struggled to respond. Hence the rapid flow of stocks. Following the law of supply and demand, prices naturally began to inflate. The phenomenon has spread to other brands such as AMD, the other leader in the sector.
Cryptocurrency involved in this shortage
We could easily put the rarity of the RTX 30 down to poor forecasts from manufacturers. But the situation is much more complex.
The first thing to highlight is the role of cryptocurrency. It's not just gamers who want to improve the performance of their PC. Cryptocurrency “miners” also represent a significant target for graphics cards. The latter need to draw significant GPU power to constantly improve their calculation speed. Many have flocked to new generation graphics cards.
Good to know: If you are looking for graphics cards for mining, discover the latest AMD graphics cards for mining still in stock!”
The impact of Covid
On the other hand, COVID has obviously had an impact on the shortage of graphics cards, for several reasons.
First of all, the video game market exploded during the crisis. In 2020 alone, in France, the increase in turnover in the sector was estimated at 11.3% compared to 2019. This data reflects the significant need for entertainment among the confined public.
On the other hand, the crisis has not made supply easier either. Sanitary conditions have both slowed down the process, but also increased the prices of materials and transport. The entire logistics chain has been affected.
“Scalpers” or price escalation
Both the shortage and the rise in prices have become entrenched in recent months. “Scalpers” have accentuated the trend. They are speculators who spot current trends to buy promising products en masse. They then resell them at a higher price to make a margin. Obviously, graphics cards have not escaped this.
A trend that is confirmed today
Since their release, the price of graphics cards has continued to increase. Despite everything, at the beginning of summer, we could see a period of calm. A short-lived improvement since at the end of summer, prices soared again. At the end of October, they had already returned to 200% of the original rate.
When can we expect to get a graphics card?
Manufacturers' predictions do not tend towards a favorable recovery for the end of the year, nor for 2022. According to Colette Kress, executive vice president and CFO of Nvidia: “Overall demand remains very strong and continues to exceed supply, while stocks in our distribution channels remain quite low. » .
On the other hand, prices continue to rise on platforms like EBay.
The Christmas holiday period is not likely to help matters. It's a good time for purchases and the hardware and video game industries are not spared.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced that the situation will continue throughout next year. With a normal recovery estimated in 2023. Even the next Nvidia Lovelace graphics cards are at high risk of being taken by storm.
One solution to consider: get a PC equipped with a new generation graphics card.
Conclusion
The current shortage of graphics cards has created a major price spike. A trend that seems to be emerging for the months to come, according to various statements from manufacturers. Despite everything, we must not lose hope! An improvement in the landscape of PC components is possible. The arrival of new references and the outcome of the Covid crisis could represent a favorable way out for all computer equipment enthusiasts.
