We still do not have hands-on, verified criteria of what these 30-series cards can do. Great on Nvidia for doing a lot of the preliminary work and throwing out some pretty charts to demonstrate how these brand-new graphics cards stomp previous models. (Theyre going to make a lot of recent upgraders disturbed, specifically those who just recently paid too much for top-of-the-line 20-series cards.) Nvidias figures are PR, not real-world performance-testing.
You owe it to yourself to await everybody else– youtubers and reporters alike– to put these graphics cards through their paces. Not only will this offer you the best possible indicator of how these cards perform in routine conditions, however youll find out a lot about the nuances that those simpler “200% faster!” charts do not enter.
I get the temptation, though: Even if Nvidias marketing is overselling their capabilities a bit, youre going to get strong performance for an affordable price even if you opt for the bottom-rung, $499 Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070. This card is apparently faster than Nvidias previous flagship, the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti– a card that cost $1,000, at minimum, at its launch.
This all however seals the offer if youre updating from anything older than that, specifically if your graphics card starts with the number “10” or lower. Im still going to put on my doubters hat and be that frustrating voice of reason: Dont pre-order a new graphics card..
I know, I understand. Nvidias brand-new RTX 30-series graphics cards are beasts.
We wont see AMD reveal its counteroffer to Nvidias 30-series graphics cards until October 28, which implies we have no idea what kind of efficiency to anticipate, nor how AMD is preparing to counter Nvidias already-aggressive rates for its 30-series graphics cards. Of course, now youre playing everybodys favorite graphics card thinking game: How long can you hold out before the cards go out of stock at wherever youre attempting to acquire them?
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What does that mean? Even if youre an Nvidia patriot, I would not purchase a 30-series graphics card till Ive at least seen what AMD is prepping. Maybe Nvidia will have to do a little rushing (or price-dropping) to remain enticing if AMDs offers are compelling enough. Who knows, perhaps AMDs Radeon RX 6000-series GPUs may really triumph– perhaps for performance and cost. If so, you d be a sucker to blow $1,500 on Nvidias top-shelf card today if something much better can be had after a mere months wait.
Basically, the most recent graphics card generational battle hasnt even began yet. Theres no factor to update instantly; if youve held out this long to upgrade, you can handle a few additional weeks. Its the smarter move.
Dont call AMD a comeback, its been here for years.
Huge Navi. We will not see AMD announce its counteroffer to Nvidias 30-series graphics cards up until October 28, which means we have no concept what type of performance to anticipate, nor how AMD is preparing to counter Nvidias already-aggressive prices for its 30-series graphics cards. With these being AMDs first major graphics cards to (lastly) support ray tracing, you can expect some healthier-than-normal competitors.
Nvidias new RTX 30-series graphics cards are beasts. Theres an outright thirst out there for brand-new graphics cards, since Nvidia hasnt offered up a brand-new line (microarchitecture, truly) considering that the September 2018 launch of its GeForce RTX 2080. While you probably wont see fantastic money offers for, say, Nvidias $1,500 GeForce 3090, you may at least be able to purchase the graphics card and get some freebies– video games, additional months to attempt a subscription service, a discount rate on other gear you may need (such as a brand-new power supply), and so on.
If I dont pre-order I wont get one.
I get it. Theres an outright thirst out there for brand-new graphics cards, because Nvidia hasnt offered up a brand-new line (microarchitecture, truly) since the September 2018 launch of its GeForce RTX 2080. I wager youre going to see some sellouts come launch day (September 17), which suggests you might have to wait a long time to get your hands on a new 30-series card. Thats OK.
The power move: pre-order anyway, but …
I composed this article, and even Im still contemplating a pre-order for a 30-series graphics card since I dont desire to be stuck awaiting months if there are stock issues. If I have not been able to encourage you to not pre-order a brand-new card, I take no offense; nevertheless, I do suggest that you position your pre-order at a merchant that has a great return policy (and no restocking fee).
Nvidia? Amazon? B&H? Youre great to go, assuming you have an unopened graphics card. Newegg? No.
Purchase your new Nvidia graphics card if you must, however rest on it for as long as you perhaps can without utilizing it. You still might not know about AMDs statements unless we see some leaks prior to October 28, so I d attempt to position your 30-series order as near the end of September as possible.
Im not one to state “wait on 2 months to conserve $50,” since that seems a bit silly, but offered simply how close we are to some major geeky sales occasions, its worth claiming a little time if you have not completely convinced yourself to buy a brand-new 30-series graphics card on launch day. And you might likewise see some more-aggressive-than-usual pricing due to the fact that of …
Of course, now youre playing everybodys favorite graphics card guessing game: How long can you hold out before the cards go out of stock at wherever youre trying to purchase them? Im sure youll get a sense of the need once Nvidias brand-new cards launch, which must hopefully assist you find out whether its worth waiting or pulling the trigger earlier than later. No matter what, think about the power of an excellent return policy, and you may be able to get a better offer later– or a better graphics card entirely.
For example, will CPU bottlenecking effect your capability to strike high frame rates no matter how excellent your graphics card is? How much extra power will these cards draw when youre playing your preferred video games maxed-out? Will these graphics cards will develop into miniature space heating units or jet engines when youre gaming? Will these cards boost your frame rates to an obvious degree in the games you like most, at the resolution and quality settings you normally play? (Hint: You probably dont require a $1,500 graphics card to play Fortnite).
Will the 30-series see sales sooner than later on?
The launch of the GeForce 30-series cards comes at a wonderful time. While you most likely wont see amazing cash deals for, state, Nvidias $1,500 GeForce 3090, you might at least be able to buy the graphics card and get some giveaways– video games, extra months to try a membership service, a discount rate on other equipment you may require (such as a new power supply), and so on.
