When NVIDIA launched the GeForce GTX series and not the least when it was compared to the Radeon HD 4800 series, the biggest complaint NVIDIA got was without a doubt about the prices. The flagship GeForce GTX 280 launched $650 while the sibling GeForce GTX 260 cost around $400. Even if these were the fastest cards on the market, the prices were just too high compared to ATI’s new Radeon HD 4800 series where both HD 4870 and HD 4850 displayed powerful performance at much lower prices.
NVIDIA wasn’t late to respond and have of course been following the development in the media and the consumer views. A month has passed since the launch of the GeForce GTX series and the price has been corrected several times. After looking around we can only conclude that the prices have dropped significantly since the launch.
At the launch day, most GeForce GTX 280 cards cost around $650. Today you can find the same card for as little as $450, but most costs around $500, That’s probably the fastest price drop we’ve ever encountered.
Smaller sibling GeForce GTX 260 has had a similar ride where the prices started at around $400 and are now as slow as $300.
| Graphics card | Price – 06/16 | Price – 07/17 | ||
| GeForce GTX 280 | ~$650 | ~$450 | ||
| GeForce GTX 260 | ~$400 | ~$300 | ||
| Radeon HD 4870 | – | ~$300 | ||
| Radeon HD 4850 | ~$220 | ~$190 | ||
| * Priser i SEK | ||||
Whether this will be enough to attract at least some additional customers remains to be seen, but right now you can get Radeon HD 4870 for around $300, and the even more popular Radeon HD 4850 for $190. NVIDIA is heading in the right direction with its prices, from a consumer point of view, but it might cost them dearly. The productions costs are most likely eating up most of what NVIDIA was hoping to profit. We will just have to wait and see how low they can go.
