GTX 280 prices fall to S$699

If you have been holding out for a new top-end graphics card, here’s a little bit of good news.

Sim Lim Square stores like Cybermind and Bell and online retailers like Potterhouse are (finally) selling some Nvidia GTX 280 cards for S$699 this weekend (down from S$799), reflecting the price drop that gamers in the US have been enjoying for weeks.

So far, Leadtek, Gigabyte and MSI have taken the lead in the price drops, though you’d expect Asus (still at S$1,000!) to quickly follow as well.

Singapore prices are still some way off the US$399 – US$449 (S$543 – S$611) that US e-tailers like Newegg or Zipzoomfly are selling the cards for after mail-in rebates. But at least, prices are finally moving somewhere here.

When the ATI 4870×2, which thumps the GTX 280 in performance,  comes to town in mid-Aug (delayed from earlier July date), expect even better deals.

For now, the best bang for buck may be the 4870 (S$399), which you can Crossfire later with a second 4870 (when prices are lower). But if you can wait, then wait for a few weeks more for the 4870×2 to come and spoil the market first, and for prices to be more consistent with performance per buck.