What’s happened? Gamers are always chasing the best graphics cards, right? Not so much. The latest Amazon sales data showed that some truly ancient GPUs are still bought hundreds of times per month.
- New sales data published by TechEpiphany, reprotedly from Amazon U.S., revealed some interesting insights into the current state of the GPU market.
- While the top-selling card in July was Nvidia’s RTX 5070, the list contains many older GPUs from the last decade.
- The GT 710, a card from 2014, saw 1,050 units sold, putting it in the top 15 by unit sales.
- Similarly, the GT 1030, GT 730, and even the GT 610 each sold hundreds of units, despite being low-end or obsolete.
- High-end GPUs like the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 dominate revenue but have far fewer total unit sales.
- The GT 210, a GPU that wasn’t highly regarded even when it launched back in 2009, sold the same number of units as the recent Intel Arc B580.
- While the data is interesting, there’s no way to verify whether every part of it is valid.
This is important because: GPU prices are all over the place right now, and this sales data highlights that many PC owners may be priced out of modern GPU upgrades.
- Aging or ultra-budget cards like the GT 710 and GT 610 are still selling in volume, despite offering very poor gaming performance by today’s standards.
- The trend suggests that entry-level PC builders or casual users are settling for cards that are underpowered or nearly obsolete.
- While many of the lower-end cards may have been bought for reasons other than gaming, they, too, have newer alternatives — possibly too pricey.
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Why should I care? The data shows that flagship cards aren’t the only way to go, and many people settle for less, given the current economic climate.
- If you’re building or upgrading a PC, this data shows you’re not alone in shopping on a budget.
- Finding a truly affordable GPU is still tough, and you might need to choose between old hardware and overspending.
- We do not advise buying these low-end cards for gaming — save up for something from the last two or three generations.
Okay, what’s next? If you need a new GPU, keep an eye out for GPU deals instead of buying something ancient.
- GPU prices have been high this whole year, but we’re seeing signs of improvement.
- Unless you really need a discrete GPU, it’s better to wait than to buy a $35 GT 210. AMD APUs with built-in graphics offer another alternative.
