back to normal

After hitting highs, graphics card prices are gradually returning to normal. While waiting for the new generation models scheduled for the end of 2022, we will soon be able to equip ourselves without breaking the bank.

Over the past two years, buying a graphics card for a PC has been practically madness: not only are the models very difficult to find in stores, but in addition, the prices displayed far exceed the prices officially “recommended” by the manufacturers. . To the point of reaching totally unreasonable heights. Thus, some cards with high-end GPUs sold for more than 2000 euros – when they were available… – whereas they were in principle marketed around 700 euros. And the same was true on the second-hand market, where old models were trading well above their initial price. Unheard of, which gave rise to all sorts of excesses, with real rushes of gamers in need as soon as a merchant had a few cards in stock… Fortunately, this cursed period is finally coming to an end. And if prices remain even higher than they should, everything should be back to normal in a few weeks. And for several reasons.

Electronic components: the end of the shortage

First, the shortage of electronic components that has plagued the global industry is starting to ease. In fact, with the Covid pandemic in 2020, most factories that manufacture chips and assemble circuits were closed or under production, which immediately led to a drastic drop in supply. At the same time, the demand for electronic equipment – ​​and therefore components – has literally exploded around the world with confinement and teleworking, which have led to new needs, both for leisure – in particular video games – and for professional reasons.

At the same time, the craze for cryptocurrencies – more precisely for mining, this practice which consists of participating in the calculations of block chain very hardware-intensive – has led to a rush for cards with powerful GPUs. This is how, in certain parts of the world, veritable computing farms were set up, bringing together hundreds of computers mining cryptocurrencies 24 hours a day. mining on a personal PC, but also, and above all, generated excessive power consumption – and totally absurd at a time when energy resources are becoming a global issue.