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When is the best time to buy/sell used GPU in and around a new gen launch?

Octoplex7

Octoplex7

Octoplex7

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Like many of you, I'm patiently waiting for the new GPU's to see whether or not it is viable for me to upgrade (currently sitting on an RTX 3080). Depending on how much a 5070 ti costs, I may end up buying a used 40 series card, if it offers better value.
That being said, I'm curious to know (based on experience, not speculation), when do you think is the best time to sell a used GPU (2 gens old) and when is the best time to buy a used (last gen) GPU?
Would it be immediately after the announcements? Or would you wait, given there will likely be a large amount of supply hitting the used market? Or could you also argue that the large amount of demand will be met by larger than usual demand?
 
Best time to sell is a month before a new announcement IMO or a few weeks after launch when new gpus have sold out (probably not what you want to hear lol).

Best time to buy a used card is a few days/a week after the announcement of new cards.
 
Hostile_18 said:
Best time to sell is a month before a new announcement IMO or a few weeks after launch when new gpus have sold out (probably not what you want to hear lol).

Best time to buy a used card is a few days/a week after the announcement of new cards.
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Thanks for your reply. Why do you think that the best time to buy is a few days/a week after the announcement?
 
Sold my 3080 FE for 400 quid (bought it for 340 last year so not a bad profit). I'm looking to replace it for my living room SFF build. Tempted by the Asus 4080 Super Proart as it should (just about) fit in my S300 case. Will see how the 5070 ti compares and take it from there. As we get nearer release, prices should begin to come down. I'm already seeing 4090 prices come down to 1200-1300...
 
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I would think this is a simple thing, it's just the earlier you sell the more you'll make. I mean obviously you'll be at the mercy of finding a replacement card or incoming dud generation or something like that, but IDK, I find this a bit of an odd question
 
It depends on many things and it varies from generation to generation.

It used to be best to sell a couple of weeks or maybe a month before and then ride it out with a spare or onboard graphics temporarily.
Nowadays there is a risk they sell out due to being over-hyped or not enough supply. This means it's best to wait and sell when the buyers have realized it's going to be a long wait for the new cards

I made the mistake of selling my 1080TI too early. The prices of 2nd hand cards sky-rocketed after I got my 3080 so I could have sold my 1080TI for twice the price I had sold it for.
With my 3080 I waited until the 2nd hand prices bounced back up after the 40 series launch and got almost what I paid for it (bare in mind I got it day 1, before all the scalping).
 
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Sold my 4090 about 2 months ago got £1195 for it within an hour of listing it, I think prices have risen since so I sold it to early but overall not bad I got 2 years of service for about £400.
 
Tykey said:
Sold my 4090 about 2 months ago got £1195 for it within an hour of listing it, I think prices have risen since so I sold it to early but overall not bad I got 2 years of service for about £400.
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This is why it's always a gamble nowadays...
If the 5080 had turned out to be closer to 4090 performance you'd have sold it at a good time. But with the 5080 reviews now in, along with what looks like there could be supply delays, you'd probably get another £300 on top of that price if you had waited until today
 
Ascendancy said:
After what happened with the 3000 series launch I'd never sell my current card until the new one was inside my PC and confirmed working :p
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Amen brother ! Sold my 1070 before hand and had to wait 9 weeks to get my pre order/launch day 3080 from here, made sense in the past but not now with scalper bot etc.
 
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For me, the best time to sell a "last gen" card is immediately after the new gen has gone completely out of stock. That would be today, from 14:01, when everyone desperate to upgrade only has last gen to choose from.
 
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555BUK said:
For me, the best time to sell a "last gen" card is immediately after the new gen has gone completely out of stock. That would be today, from 14:01, when everyone desperate to upgrade only has last gen to choose from.
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Things have clearly gone way way out of wack.
There’s a launch date Zotac 4090 Amp Airo on MM for £1650 (good luck to the seller) which imo is utterly insane.
If for one minute I thought I’d get that for mine, I’d sell it and tide myself over with a cheap 3080.
These are strange times we’re living in.
 
JonRGV250 said:
Things have clearly gone way way out of wack.
There’s a launch date Zotac 4090 Amp Airo on MM for £1650 (good luck to the seller) which imo is utterly insane.
If for one minute I thought I’d get that for mine, I’d sell it and tide myself over with a cheap 3080.
These are strange times we’re living in.
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It sold for £1,350 lol
But I can see why... Minimum £2,000 for a card that can beat it. Or pay about the same for a new card that's 15% slower with less vram
 
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