Asus Lists Price for RTX 2060 12GB That Only a Scalper Would Love

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It is expensive.

Asus
(Image credit: Asus)

When Nvidia and its partners formally launched the GeForce RTX 2060 12GB earlier this month, they never disclosed its recommended price, which was a bit unusual. However, this week, Asus' German division finally revealed recommended pricing for the graphics card, which gives some idea about what to expect if supply meets demand. 

Asus introduced (via ComputerBase) two GeForce RTX 2060 12GB graphics cards in Germany: the factory overclocked Dual-RTX-O12G-Evo for €499 and the standard Dual-RTX-2060-12G-Evo for €494. If we subtract German VAT (19%) and convert the price to USD, we will get something close to U.S. MSRP, which is around $470.  

The official recommended price of the more powerful GeForce RTX 3070 when it launched in 2020 was $499 to give you a bit of context. Yet, given severe shortages of graphics cards, even official prices are inflated. Meanwhile, real-world GeForce RTX 2060 6GB pricing starts at $740. 

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 6GB graphics card launched nearly three years ago and is based on the TU106 graphics processor made on TSMC's 12nm-class node. However, since Nvidia could not get enough GeForce RTX 30-series 'Ampere' GPUs from Samsung Foundry, it had to ask TSMC to relaunch production of an outdated GPU from 2018 in a bid to meet the demand for graphics boards.  

Asus' GeForce RTX 2060 12GB graphics cards are equipped with a dual-slot dual-fan cooling system with thick heat pipes, require an eight-pin auxiliary PCIe power connector, and feature four display outputs (one DisplayPort 1.4a, one DVI-D, two HDMI 2.0b). The boards will hit the market in late December, though do not expect them to sell at recommended prices.  

It is noteworthy that some market observers believe that 12GB versions of the GeForce RTX 2060 are excellent cards for miners since Nvidia does not limit their hash rates (unlike in the case of the GeForce RTX 30-series LHR products). However, gamers may find them slow and outdated compared to the best graphics cards available today. Furthermore, keeping in mind that miners tend to buy graphics boards directly from distributors (and sometimes even from manufacturers), it remains to be seen whether these cards will actually be available widely.

 

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Anton Shilov
Anton Shilov
Contributing Writer

Anton Shilov is a contributing writer at Tom’s Hardware. Over the past couple of decades, he has covered everything from CPUs and GPUs to supercomputers and from modern process technologies and latest fab tools to high-tech industry trends.

7 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Endymio
    This appears in actuality to be the exact opposite of "a price a scalper would love". The card appears to be priced high enough to balance supply and demand, and eliminate scalping entirely. A smart move on Asus' part, and one which will only benefit consumers.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    Endymio said:
    This appears in actuality to be the exact opposite of "a price a scalper would love". The card appears to be priced high enough to balance supply and demand, and eliminate scalping entirely.
    If the 6GB RTX2060 still sells for $740, then the 12GB RTX2060 for $480 pseudo-MSRP is still a steal for scalpers who are going to re-sell them for $750+. Also a great deal for miners who can use the extra RAM for dual-mining that they cannot do on 6GB.
    Reply
  • Endymio
    InvalidError said:
    If the 6GB RTX2060 still sells for $740...
    Checking closed listings on Ebay, I see prices from $450 to $750 for closed sales. The median appears closer to the low $600s. Still though, you are correct, opportunity for scalping profits.
    Reply
  • expired56k
    This is pure insanity and insult to consumers. Selling a 4 year old GPU for like $150 over old MSRP is ludacris (I think might be even more than that). Sure gamers and consumers are bent backward with seemingly never ending mining craze and now supply shortage but this is just beyond anything I've seen. Like strapping a jet engine to an old horse. Instead of changing silicon to curb mining or adding a better defined products for each market segment they spend their resources on this piece of crap. Vote with your wallets folks, just hold off from buying this garbage.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    expired56k said:
    Vote with your wallets folks, just hold off from buying this garbage.
    Crypto miners are voting with their crypto wallets. Based on pricing from what few European sellers have posted, 12GB RTX2060s are expected to fly off the shelves at ~$600.
    Reply
  • spongiemaster
    Endymio said:
    Checking closed listings on Ebay, I see prices from $450 to $750 for closed sales. The median appears closer to the low $600s. Still though, you are correct, opportunity for scalping profits.
    Almost all of those are used cards. Heck, people are bidding $500 just for the box of a 2060 Super.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/393775118807?hash=item5baed379d7:g:qSYAAOSwAuFhfNQm
    Bet the winner of this one is really going to enjoy their $500 empty box.
    Reply
  • Endymio
    spongiemaster said:
    Almost all of those are used cards. Heck, people are bidding $500 just for the box of a 2060 Super.

    There are new and open-box cards for sale in the same price range. If you're willing to wait for overseas shipping, here's a brand new 2060 for $400:

    06G-P4-2068-KR GeForce RTX 2060 KO Ultra Gaming 6GB GDDR6 Dual Fans | eBay
    As for the empty-box listing, one can only assume the buyer misread the listing, as just a few days earlier, the same box sold for only $15, rather than $500:

    ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 2060 Super 8GB GDDR6 GPU Box Only | eBay
    Reply