PC builder NZXT is offering a way of swiftly getting hold of an Nvidia RTX 3000 series graphics card as part of a custom-built machine from the vendor.
This is, of course, only really an option for those who are mulling over buying a new PC in the near future anyway, as it’s not really practical to consider buying a PC just to loot the RTX 3000 card.
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At any rate, if you’re hunting for a new PC, NZXT is now offering BLD machines with RTX 3000 cards via its website configurator, with overnight shipping as PC Gamer reports. Like other PC suppliers, NZXT hasn’t previously been able to maintain this quick turnaround, but that situation has changed, and in theory now you can concoct your build and have the resulting RTX 3000-powered PC shipped with a 48-hour turnaround.
NZXT told PC Gamer: “[This] means you can now have your custom PC in well under a week”, when also factoring in the time to put together the build, of course. The PC maker adds: “That makes NZXT the fastest SI [system integrator] and the only one who can get a custom build PC (with a 3000 series graphics card) to gamers within that time frame.”
This has been achieved due to NZXT improving its build processes, the company notes, and securing a better supply of RTX 3000 graphics cards with its partners worldwide. Furthermore, the PC builder is confident that this won’t be a short-term thing, and that it can continue to maintain this inside-a-week turnaround.
Cards on the table
The Ampere GPUs on offer for inclusion via the NZXT BLD configurator are the RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 3070 Ti, RTX 3080 and RTX 3080 Ti, all of these being Gigabyte Gaming OC models except for the 3070 Ti which is an EVGA FTW3 Ultra.
As PC Gamer rightly points out, the pricing on these GPUs within the build configurator is inflated compared to Nvidia’s recommended levels, as you might expect. However, the asking prices are definitely less than the typical scalper levels you’ll find with the standalone graphics cards on sale currently (given that buying from a retailer is still very much a struggle).
For example, while Gigabyte’s RTX 3060 Ti Gaming OC Pro may work out at $629.99 within an NZXT build, the only Gigabyte RTX 3060 Ti card from a third-party marketplace seller currently on Newegg (a different model, the Vision OC) runs to not far off double at $1,157. That’s the kind of uphill financial battle GPU hunters are facing right now if they don’t get lucky enough to find fleeting stock at a retailer.
That said, there’s definitely an argument that now might not be the time to splurge, given that the GPU stock situation is changing and prices are easing downwards – with that trend hopefully set to continue as China keeps cracking down on mining operations (and Nvidia has made its gaming graphics cards less attractive on the crypto front with hash rate limiting).
On balance, then, holding your GPU horses for the time being might be the best bet overall, at least to see if there are any further falls in pricing in the near future.
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