The wait....

[tthurman]

No, not the Killing Joke song, the GPU wait.  Seems like widespread availability has returned and prices are slowly headed back to retail, finally. 

So saying this trend continues and we are back to some remote aspect of normal prices by fall, do you grab a RTX 3000 or hold out for the 5000 series? (or whatever they call them)

[Draco1962]

Wait. The global chip shortage isn't done with us yet. As supplies of chips for GPUs increase and new models are released, grabbing one of the older models may still off more bang for the buck for someone looking to upgrade.

[tthurman]

I would probably buy now if I had an opportunity at a RTX-3080 FE at retail, as it should do everything I'm looking for with a *cough* modestly sized PSU.  The leaks coming out for the next gen nvidia are insane from the power usage view, but cards like whatever ends up being the X070 and X070Ti could be remarkably powerful, while still working on a 850 PSU, potentially.  You have to factor in crazy inflation with waiting to long term, and whatever potential financial crisis fallout that looms from everything going on in the world.

The last new card I bought was a 750Ti and two of those and a HD-7950 3GB are still running in my rigs, so I'm long overdue.

 

 

[Draco1962]

My mobo is old enough that the data channels for processing the additional throughput would bottleneck and diminish the extra benefit of a new card. 

My gaming TV and monitors are 1080p anyways so what I have will due.

[ClassicGMR]

I was lucky enough to get a pair of 1660ti systems (desktop and laptop). These cards are expected to be capable along the lines of the 1060 6GB card which, in itself, is still a workhorse of a card for most games. If I see something along the lines of retail to sub-retail on a more current card I may jump on it but it would have to be a significant upgrade.

If you're sitting on a card that's below the GTX 1060 then keep your eyes open otherwise wait. You'll get a deal down the road. As Draco said the chip shortage first and then the shipping issues on top of that are still very much a thing and very much still in play.