Why it matters: If ever there was a sign that graphics card prices are returning to normal, here it is: the flagship of Nvidia's Ampere line, the RTX 3090 Ti, is available for $1,599, which is $400 less than its $1,999 MSRP.
The top-of-the-line Ampere consumer card is currently available for $400 off the MSRP at Best Buy. This is an official Founders Edition model of the AD102 GPU-based card, the same one that's going for $1,999 on Nvidia's official website.
Given that Nvidia is still selling the card for its original price, Best Buy's deal could only be temporary. But it's another example of graphics card prices finally improving. It could also be a further indication of Nvidia trying to clear out stock before its next-gen RTX 4000 (Ada Lovelace) cards arrive. The company is already rumored to be discontinuing the RTX 3080 12GB model to shift the excess stock of RTX 3080 10GB cards; both items have reached price parity, resulting in more people opting for the 12GB variant over the 10GB card.
Nvidia and partners might be repeating this plan with the RTX 3090 Ti. We noted in our review that the card offers little extra over the standard RTX 3090 for that $500 premium, so there could be a lot of unsold stock. Dropping the price to the same as, or in some cases, less than, the non-Ti version will doubtlessly help shift more RTX 3090 Ti cards.
RTX 3090 third-party cards that cost more than the RTX 3090 Ti Founders Edition
It's not just efforts to clear stock that is lowering prices. The crypto winter is killing mining profitability, leading to less overall demand. There's also the incoming RTX 4000 series, though it might arrive later than expected, and economic fears that are making people think twice before splashing out on big purchases.
h/t: VideoCardz