The cryptocurrency craze is causing a shortage that gamers aren't going to like
High-end graphics processing units (GPUs) were already expensive. But now that they're being used to mine cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, costs are getting ridiculous.
The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti (1080 Ti for short) is one of the best GPUs on the market right now for PC gaming, but the units are becoming harder to find as retailers can't keep up with the increased demand brought on by cryptocurrency miners. Many 1080 Ti models are regularly out of stock through online retailers, or are getting marked up to higher and higher prices.
The 1080 Ti typically goes for around $1,000 or less, and it used to be pretty easy to find online. Now popular retailers like Newegg that sell the GPUs list dozens of models as "out of stock," while other online marketplaces like Amazon or eBay have prices marked up by hundreds or sometimes even thousands of dollars.
What makes the 1080 Ti so appealing to both gamers and cryptocurrency miners is its 11 GB of GDDR5X memory running at 11 GBps, which means it can handle a lot of processes very quickly. For gamers, this means high-quality imaging and high frames per second. For miners, this means a faster rate of mining.
People who are really into mining cryptocurrencies can use multiple high-end GPUs to mine at faster rates, and the recent spike in cryptocurrency popularity has made the demand for high-end GPUs skyrocket. Unfortunately, the supply hasn't been able to keep up.
For gamers who are looking to upgrade their PCs to play hardware-demanding games or make their games look better, the shortage means 1080 Ti is a less-desirable GPU. Why wait or pay up for one when you can get a slightly lower quality GPU for less money and hassle?
Unfortunately, other GPUs close in capabilities to the 1080 Ti — like the 1070 Ti or Radeon RX 580 — are experiencing similar shortages and markups (although not quite to the same degree). RX 580 GPUs are also being sold in bundles specifically for mining, and no gamer would need four or more GPUs to play even the most demanding games.
This shortage probably isn't forever, though. If the cryptocurrency bubble ever bursts, the hype will probably die down and everything will go back to normal. Plus, whatever the next generation of GPUs is will make 1080 Ti cards much easier to find and buy.