There was a time when spending $500 on a graphics card felt extravagant. That kind of money bought you a serious high-end GPU, and $300 could get you something pretty capable. Fast-forward to today, and those numbers almost seem quaint.
Our latest GPU pricing update paints a rather depressing picture. Graphics card prices have climbed 35% in just the last three months, with mainstream models selling well above their original MSRPs. An RTX 5070 that was supposed to cost $549 now sells for around $900 in the US, while the high-end market has become increasingly detached from what most gamers would consider reasonable.
Of course, everyone's budget and priorities are different. Some enthusiasts are perfectly comfortable dropping $1,000 or more on a GPU they'll use for several years. Others have drawn a hard line at $300 or $500, regardless of how much faster the latest hardware gets.
And there's another question worth asking: how about value? have we simply become accustomed to paying more? What felt outrageous a decade ago might now seem like the price of admission for serious PC gaming.
So here's this weekend's question: What's the most you've ever spent on a graphics card, and what's your absolute spending limit today? Have rising prices pushed you to skip upgrades, buy used, or settle for a lower tier? Or are you willing to pay a premium if the performance justifies it?