How to find graphics cards
Finding graphics cards to build a mining rig had become complicated, with countless models and prices all over the place. In this video (in French), we show you where and how we found our cards: the second-hand market, stock alert sites and the official retailer of Founders Edition cards.
Video from 2021: the prices below date from that time. See "What about today?" at the end of the article.
Know which cards to look for
Before you start searching, you need to know which card you want. Our website had a toolbox with several useful resources, including a summary of which NVIDIA cards are LHR and which are not. An LHR card is limited by NVIDIA for Ethereum mining.
Second-hand: eBay and Le Bon Coin
On eBay, type in the model you want (for example RTX 3060 Ti) and set where the listings come from. You will find new and used cards, at more or less reasonable prices. At the time of filming, an auction for a Zotac RTX 3070 stood at €600, and other cards were listed at €750: some cards can be found at fair prices.
On Le Bon Coin, the French classifieds site, we recommend creating saved searches for the card models you are interested in (we also have some for processors), limited to your region: Île-de-France in our case. There are a lot of scams, hence our advice:
- always ask for the invoice;
- try to buy new or very recent cards;
- prefer handing over the card in person.
What is worth looking for on Le Bon Coin are Founders Edition cards, made directly by NVIDIA: most of them are not LHR, except the more recent RTX 3070 Ti and RTX 3080 Ti.
Stock alert sites
For new cards, alert sites let you know when stock arrives. We present four of them:
- Drop Reference: the one we like, also useful for other components. It has a web version and sends notifications via Discord, Twitter or Telegram. New feature: it shows whether a card runs hot and whether it is entry-level, mid-range or high-end.
- Bavarnold: download the Discord app, join the Bavarnold community and turn on the alerts. We bought quite a few cards thanks to these alerts.
- Neeed Comptoir: a newer service that we knew less well, with a web version and stock alerts for various cards. Example at the time: RTX 3060 cards, rather entry-level models, at around €600 to €650.
- GPU Tracker: what sets it apart is its wider European and international reach. It lets you buy from non-French sites, such as the Spanish retailer PcComponentes.
LDLC and Founders Edition cards
LDLC is the official retailer of NVIDIA Founders Edition cards. Their advantage: fixed prices. LDLC holds sales regularly, every week, and in principle you are allowed to buy two different models per household.
Get ready to order fast
Our last tip, so you don't waste time when an alert comes in: create your accounts on the retail sites in advance, add your addresses and, if you wish, save a bank card.
What about today?
Since Ethereum moved to proof of stake on 15 September 2022, Ethereum can no longer be mined with graphics cards, and GPU mining income has collapsed. The prices and services shown here date from 2021. To mine today, most people turn to ASIC miners.
To build a rig, read our article How to build a mining rig and our other guides on the tutorials page. To mine today, browse our ASIC miners, or contact us for advice before you buy.