These two companies make up nearly all dedicated GPUs found in desktop computers and laptops. The PC graphics card industry is dominated by two chip manufacturers: Nvidia and AMD. The shortage has also driven away potential first-time PC builders from creating their own systems. This has forced many to purchase old models from a decade ago, spend thousands of dollars on the used market without a warranty, or use the inferior integrated graphics that come with their processor. This presents a large problem for many computer-building enthusiasts, multimedia practitioners, and gamers, as even the day-to-day of running a PC relies on the graphics card. In marketplace websites, like eBay, prices for resold or second-hand GPUs are several times higher than their original suggested retail price. Most retailers, from online parts sellers like Amazon and Newegg to big-box stores like Best Buy, have almost no graphics cards left. If you’ve attempted to build or buy a computer in 2020 or 2021, you may have noticed insane spikes in prices for graphics cards and the widespread unavailability of new cards. They’re also vital for creative professionals, as they allow computers to run tasks like graphic design, video editing, and 3D animation. They are responsible for creating the display output of your PC, allowing you to view multimedia content, and rendering the complex 3D graphics in modern video games. Graphics processing units (GPUs) or graphics cards are an essential component for most people who use a desktop computer.

Best graphics card