The RTX 3090 is still a beast of a graphics card. Despite being three years old, it’s now a good choice for an upgrade if you’re looking to save a little cash on not buying the 4090. But if you’re reading this between browsing retailers and looking to buy, then hold on a second. It may be worth waiting a little longer, and I’ll tell you why.
You’re likely looking for an RTX 3090 because it can easily shift frames at 4K, in even the most graphically challenging of titles. And while positive sentiment around the 4090 has risen sharply in the last year, the best RTX 3090s are still held in high regard. Let’s be honest too, with the advent of DLSS and AI-enabled graphics, the 3090 is likely to be a strong contender for as long as subsequent technologies support it.
RTX 3090 price peaks and troughs
Realistically, buying a graphics card like the 3090 at the right time can take some doing. And you want to save as much as possible when you do. So I’ve looked at 3090 pricing trends across the last couple of years to spot a few things. Taking a look at the price tracking site Camelcamelcamel, I’ve investigated the course of 3090 pricing for some insight that you may find very useful if you’re wanting to upgrade or do a new build.
Facing painful costs due to the pandemic and supply issues, many 3090 models entered last year above $2,000, that’s despite an MSRP of $1,499. As supply eased, prices dropped to around the $1,100-$1,200 mark in August and September 2022. As I’ve seen from a range of models across our research, the RTX 4090’s October 2022 release caused a dip in general 3090 pricing to around the $1,000 mark.
Such dips in price are natural for older-generation products being superseded, and you generally expect those dips to stick – especially in Q4 which is a traditional shopping period. Yet after the 4090’s launch, the 3090’s pricing generally rose by several hundred pounds to around $1,400. This was perhaps due to reports of issues with the 4090 (overheating and cable concerns). A tough break for deals.
MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3090 OC Graphics Card
EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 FTW3 Ultra Gaming
Skytech Gaming Prism II Gaming PC Desktop, RTX 3090
Seasonal splash?
However, prices have dropped steadily throughout 2023, and standard 3090 pricing seems to have been just above or below the $1,000 mark since around June this year. But Q4 always has the opportunity to push prices down further, and with the 4090 now firmly settled in its throne, there’s no reason the RTX 3090 can’t see some discounts in the near future. The card is now over three years old, is bested by a new flagship, and at this point hasn’t seen a clear drop in pricing for four months.
In my opinion, the seasonal shopping window is the right time to see Black Friday GPU deals and the 3090 drop and stay below $1,000. And it’s the right time to be on the lookout for deals. There’s been no movement of late, and it could be that’s about to change. We know what the 3090 is capable of, but until now pricing has always been an issue. We’ll be keeping an eye on the cards before and during Black Friday, because I’ve got a feeling that this year there’ll be some clear discounts to take advantage of.
