What just happened? Newegg has introduced a GPU trade-in program that affords customers another option when it comes time to upgrade their graphics card. The program allows shoppers to trade in an eligible video card for credit toward the purchase of a new GPU. Interested parties can submit details about their existing card to Newegg when shopping for a new card to receive a trade-in offer.
If accepted and a new card is purchased, a prepaid shipping label will be provided to send their old card to Newegg.
Once received, the company will inspect the card to ensure it matches the details provided. Should everything check out, Newegg will apply a credit in the amount of the offer, which will be refunded back to the original payment method. In the event Newegg declines the submission, the card will be returned to the customer.
Newegg product manager Amir Asadibagheri said the program allows users to avoid the hassle of selling through a secondary market.
Newegg has several cards listed in its FAQ with an estimated trade-in value. On the Nvidia side, they'll pay $90 for an RTX 2060 6 GB, $209 for an RTX 3070 8 GB, and $561 for an RTX 3090 Ti 24 GB. An AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 4 GB is worth $30, an RX 6600 8 GB will net you $94, and an RX 6950 XT 16 GB is good for $375.
It should come as little surprise that Newegg's program isn't going to bring top dollar for your used GPU. You can likely get significantly more for your hardware through a marketplace like eBay but as Newegg notes, dealing with third-party platforms is an extra hassle.
I suspect most will opt to sell their used GPU on their own, but it's really no different than other markets / products where strategies and approaches vary from person to person. Take the automotive industry, for example, where it's almost always more lucrative to sell a used vehicle to another individual privately. Still, many folks prefer to simply trade in their old ride at the dealership when upgrading.