Need a GeForce RTX 3000 GPU? GameStop Can Hook You Up

As reported by PCMag, GameStop has undertaken a new business venture. The renowned video game retailer has started selling computer hardware on its online store, including Nvidia's elusive GeForce RTX 3000 (Ampere) offerings that are among the best graphics cards that money can buy -- or rather cannot buy.

When a company has spent a lifetime doing the same thing, it's difficult for it to leave its comfort zone. In fact, many companies end up going out of business if they don't get with the times. It's commendable that GameStop is taking a crack at being a computer hardware retailer, especially in these difficult times. With this new endeavor, GameStop will be joining the ranks of seasoned veterans, such as Newegg, Micro Center, Best Buy and Amazon - just to name some.

GameStop won't just stop at selling computer hardware either. In its Q4 2020 earnings call, CEO George Sherman reaffirmed the company's commitment to expand its catalog of products to cover a wide variety of other gaming-oriented products, including laptops, routers and monitors.

"We are continuing the work to expand our addressable market by growing GameStop's product catalog. This includes growing our product offerings across PC gaming, computers, monitors, game tables, mobile gaming and gaming TVs, to name only a few. These categories represent natural extensions that our customers would expect to buy from us, expanding our addressable market size by over five times, and over time, will reduce our reliance on the cyclicality of the console-based gaming market."

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000 Graphics Cards

When it comes to Ampere, GameStop will be selling almost every SKU from the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti to the flagship GeForce RTX 3090. The retailer's current collection is made up of big-name brands, like Asus, EVGA and MSI. The majority of the graphics cards are unavailable for purchase as GameStop probably doesn't have stock yet. It's likely that the retailer is still preparing the product pages so more models may appear down the line. However, some of the graphics cards are labelled with an expectance date for April 16.

The product pages show that GameStop will allow online purchases as the retailer offers the option to send the product to your home or customers can go pick it up at one of GameStop's brick-and-mortar stores. It remains to be seen whether GameStop's business model will include physically selling the products at their stores. For example, Micro Center typically sells processors for below their MSRP, but the retailer limits the orders to in-store purchases only. GameStop will certainly earn brownie points with enthusiasts if the store offers a similar option as it would help crackdown on the scalpers.

Taking into account the current situation that we're living in, it'd be foolish to think that you can find a custom Ampere graphics cards at the manufacturer's MSRP. With all things considered, GameStop's pricing looks competitive though. There's a price variation up to 13% between GameStop and Newegg. Some models are cheaper at the first, while others are more affordable at the latter. Unfortunately, we've reached the point where the winning retailer isn't the one who sells the same graphics card for cheaper, but the one who actually has it in stock.