Upgrading your GPU? The RTX 20 Series shines bright

In recent years, the world of PC gaming has been transformed by the introduction of raytracing technology in graphics cards. This has been spearheaded by NVIDIA’s RTX series of graphics cards, which have set new standards for performance and visual fidelity in gaming. Each generation of NVIDIA’s RTX cards has seen significant improvements over its predecessor, but not so much so that it’s made cards that are even a few years old irrelevant. In this article, we’ll take a look at the evolution of each generation of NVIDIA RTX cards, and how buying a used RTX 2080 Ti can be a great way to upgrade a PC on a budget.

The industrial-tech look of the NVIDIA Founders Edition cards is a timeless cool.
Source: NVIDIA

RTX 20 Series: The OG of Raytracing

The first generation of NVIDIA’s RTX cards, the RTX 20 series, was released in 2018. These cards introduced the new Turing architecture, which included dedicated hardware for raytracing and AI-powered features like DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling). The flagship card of the RTX 20 series was the RTX 2080 Ti, which offered unparalleled performance at the time of its release. The RTX 2080 Ti was able to run games at 4K resolution with ray tracing enabled, providing gamers with an experience that was previously impossible.

However, the RTX 20 series came at a high price point, with the RTX 2080 Ti retailing for around $1,199 at launch. Despite the high price, the RTX 20 series cards were in high demand, with gamers eager to experience the benefits of ray tracing technology.

The 30 Series & What Came Next

The second generation of NVIDIA’s RTX cards, the RTX 30 series, was released in 2020. These cards introduced the new Ampere architecture, which offered significant improvements in performance over the previous generation. The flagship card of the RTX 30 series was the RTX 3090, which offered up to twice the performance of the RTX 2080 Ti.

The RTX 30 series cards were also more affordable than the previous generation, with the RTX 3070 retailing for around $499 at launch. That MSRP should have made the RTX 30 series more accessible to gamers worldwide, while still offering significant improvements in performance over the previous generation… but with COVID and the crypto craze, MSRP were completely irrelevant and the asking price for those cards was well over $1,000.

Generation Shift in Performance: A Hop, Not a Huge Gap

The jump in performance from one generation of NVIDIA’s RTX cards to the next is roughly equivalent to moving down in range one notch. For example, an RTX 2080 Ti is roughly equivalent to an RTX 3070 in terms of performance. This means that gamers who are unable to afford the latest generation of graphics cards can still enjoy high performance by purchasing a used RTX 2080 Ti.

Upgrading your GPU? Think Used.

Even though they cannot be found new anymore, buying a used RTX 2080 Ti is a great way to upgrade a PC on a budget. The RTX 2080 Ti is still a very capable graphics card, offering high performance and ray tracing capabilities. Additionally, buying a used RTX 2080 Ti can be significantly more affordable than buying a new graphics card, with prices ranging from around $700 to $900.

You can still find an RTX 2080 Ti new… but they are asking almost $2,000 for them?! (and who is buying them is what we want to know!)

Of course, there are risks associated with buying used PC components, including potential damage, wear and tear, and compatibility issues. However, by buying from a reputable seller like Tisk and doing your research, you can mitigate these risks and ensure that you’re getting a reliable and high-quality product.

Buying on Tisk

Tisk specializes in selling used PC components, including graphics cards, and their rigorous certification process ensures a safe shopping experience. Each card is cleaned, tested, and benchmarked, and fully refurbished, to ensure that it is in top working condition. Additionally, Tisk offers a 100-day money-back warranty, known as the Tisk Promise, which provides peace of mind for buyers. This means that you can buy with confidence, knowing that you’re getting a high-quality product that has been thoroughly vetted by experts. So if you’re looking to upgrade your graphics card but don’t want to pay full price, buying a used graphics card on Tisk is a great option to consider. Not only will you be able to save money, but you can also trust that you’re getting a reliable and high-performing product that will elevate your gaming experience.