Commentary: The graphics card shortage might end soon, right?

If you have been in the market for a graphics card recently, you would most probably know about the global graphics card shortage, mainly crippling the supply of Nvidia’s new line of GTX 3000 series GPUs.

While several insights have indicated that the supply and cost are likely to improve in the next half of the year, many parties still find it hard to get hold of these GPUs, especially at the recommended retail prices. In this article, we discuss the possibility of graphics card being more accessible in the short term.

What caused the shortage

The popularisation of cryptocurrency mining often requires powerful graphics cards. In this regard, the Nvidia GTX 3000 series drew the attention of miners who needed multiple GPU units, causing the shortage. These graphics cards are sought after for their performance jump, which could make mining faster.

Genuine gamers are left with the ballot system or to purchase it from GPU flippers. The vicious cycle continues as the supply does not meet the market’s demand.

Will the shortage be resolved in the short term

Since the great shortage of graphics cards, manufacturers have been continually trying to increase production. Prices of graphics cards have also seen a drop, according to analysts.

Following China’s crackdown on its local cryptocurrency operations, many have started selling off their mining rigs. Statistics from SCMP found that the going price for a used Nvidia RTX 3060 (by Asus) was lowered to 4,699 yuan (S$978.69) – down from 13,499 yuan (S$2811.53) from May.

Having an influx of used graphic cards might satisfy the market’s demand to some extent as buyers rush to buy the used units. The ongoing restriction also means that China can no longer buy as many units as it used to, easing the demand.

What can be done before the problem is resolved

While many analysts have suggested an end to the shortage, it may take some time before it gets truly resolved. Meanwhile, users can consider older graphics card models offering the best performance of their time, or opt for AMD graphics cards instead.

Another way would be to use a dedicated inventory checker for eCommerce sites to get the latest updates on the inventory status. If you are looking for a fully built computer,  it should contain the latest graphics card to appeal to your needs.

On the manufacturer’s side, Nvidia will be imposing cryptocurrency mining limits on newly manufactured RTX 3000 series graphics cards, labelled as “Lite Hash Rate” (LHR). This update will take time, but it will help make these cards more accessible for gamers, the main intended customer of these cards.