Last updated: October 10, 2026. Black Friday 2026 falls on November 27, with Cyber Monday on November 30, and the GPU deals that matter will be on the RTX 5070 Ti, RTX 5080 and RX 9070 XT. This year the bar for a “good deal” is different: the 2026 memory shortage pushed street prices for most graphics cards above their launch pricing, so a genuine Black Friday deal is one that lands clearly below the card’s recent typical street price, ideally back at or near its original launch price. This tracker explains what to watch, which retailers usually discount, when to buy, and how to tell a real deal from an inflated “was” price. We deliberately list no prices here, because GPU pricing is moving week to week; use the rules below against live listings.
Our Top Picks
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5080 EVO 16GB GDDR7RTX5080|OC|EVO12 x 5 x 0.1 inches2.95 poundsCheck on Amazon
Top 3 picks at a glance
Verdict at a glance
- Best value target this Black Friday: RX 9070 XT. It has stayed closer to its launch positioning than NVIDIA’s cards during the shortage, per price tracking from Tom’s Hardware and PC Gamer, and it now trades blows with the RTX 5070 Ti in raster games.
- Best NVIDIA target: RTX 5070 Ti, but only if a deal brings it close to its launch price. Its street price rose the most of the three in 2026.
- Best for 4K and heavy ray tracing: RTX 5080, with DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation. Wait for a discount from its typical street price rather than buying at inflated pricing.
- What counts as a good deal: at least 10% below the card’s 30-day typical street price is decent; 15% or more is strong; at or below the original launch price is excellent in the 2026 market.
- When to buy: watch the Thanksgiving-night drops (November 26) and Cyber Monday (November 30); early-November “Black Friday preview” deals are worth buying only if they meet the thresholds above.
Key Black Friday 2026 dates
| Date | Event | What to expect for GPUs |
|---|---|---|
| Late October to early November | Early holiday and “preview” sales at major retailers | Bundle deals and modest cuts on older stock; few deep GPU discounts |
| Thursday, November 26 | Thanksgiving; many online sales go live in the evening | First wave of real Black Friday GPU pricing, often limited quantities |
| Friday, November 27 | Black Friday | Widest selection of discounted models; doorbuster stock sells out fast |
| Saturday to Sunday, November 28 to 29 | Weekend | Restocks and price matching between retailers |
| Monday, November 30 | Cyber Monday | Online-focused deals; sometimes better on PC parts than Black Friday itself |
| Early December | Extended Cyber Week | Leftover deals and price-protection opportunities |
Best Buy has already told shoppers to mark November 27 for its Black Friday sale. Other retailers have not confirmed their GPU-specific start dates; some shopping guides list predicted dates, but treat those as guesses until the retailer announces them.
The 2026 GPU market: why this Black Friday is different
Through 2026, rising memory costs driven by AI data center demand have squeezed graphics card supply. Valve publicly blamed the same memory shortage when it delayed its Steam Machine. For gamers, the effect has been clear in price trackers:
- RTX 5070 Ti: trackers including Tom’s Hardware’s GPU price page have shown it trading well above its launch price in recent months, with the gap widening into the autumn.
- RTX 5080: entry models have also sat above launch pricing, and some premium partner models moved into territory once reserved for the RTX 5090, according to coverage from ThePCEnthusiast and BottleneckPC.
- RX 9070 XT: prices rose too, but PC Gamer noted it has been considerably cheaper than the going rate for the RTX 5070 Ti, making it the value outlier. Some partner models, including several ASUS variants, saw their own list-price increases.
The practical result: a Black Friday “deal” may only bring a card back toward where it launched. That is still worth buying if you need a GPU now, but do not expect the deep discounts seen in years without a component shortage.
Tracker: RTX 5070 Ti vs RTX 5080 vs RX 9070 XT
| Card | Memory | Board power | Status as of October 10, 2026 | Good-deal trigger | Excellent-deal trigger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX 9070 XT | 16GB GDDR6, 256-bit, 640 GB/s | 304W (AMD typical board power) | Above launch price but the closest of the three to it | 10% to 15% below 30-day street price | At or below original launch price for a base model |
| RTX 5070 Ti | 16GB GDDR7, 256-bit, 896 GB/s | 300W | Well above launch price; largest 2026 increase of the three | 15% or more below 30-day street price | Within about 10% of original launch price |
| RTX 5080 | 16GB GDDR7, 256-bit | 360W | Above launch price; premium partner models much higher | 15% or more below 30-day street price | Within about 10% of original launch price |
We will update the status column through November. The triggers are our recommended thresholds based on how GPU discounts behaved in previous sales and the current shortage-era pricing; they are not retailer promises.
RX 9070 XT: what to look for
The RX 9070 XT uses AMD’s full Navi 48 GPU with 64 compute units and 16GB of GDDR6. After driver updates, Hardware Unboxed data reported by TechPowerUp showed it about 3% ahead of the RTX 5070 Ti at 1440p on average and level at 4K in raster games. It is also unusually strong in some titles: Wccftech’s Black Ops 7 results had it ahead of the RTX 5080 without ray tracing.
Reasons to buy on Black Friday:
- Best raster performance per unit of money among the three, given 2026 pricing.
- FSR 4 machine-learning upscaling for RDNA 4.
- Reference design uses standard 8-pin connectors; AMD recommends a 750W PSU.
Reasons to skip:
- Weaker than NVIDIA in heavy ray tracing and path tracing.
- DLSS is in more games than FSR 4.
The catch: premium partner models can cost close to an RTX 5070 Ti; the best deals are usually on base models such as Sapphire Pulse, PowerColor Reaper, ASRock Challenger or XFX Swift class cards.
RTX 5070 Ti: what to look for
The RTX 5070 Ti has 16GB of GDDR7 with 896 GB/s of bandwidth and a 300W rating. It is the better pick than the RX 9070 XT for ray tracing, DLSS 4 Multi Frame Generation and NVIDIA-optimized games, and for creative apps that favor CUDA.
Reasons to buy on Black Friday: broadest upscaler support, strong ray tracing, mature creator software support.
Reasons to skip: its 2026 street price rose more than the other two cards; unless a deal brings it close to launch pricing, the RX 9070 XT gives similar raster performance for less.
The catch: many partner models use the 12V-2×6 connector; budget for a power supply with a native cable if yours is older.
RTX 5080: what to look for
The RTX 5080 is the step up for 4K high refresh and heavy ray tracing, with 16GB of GDDR7 and a 360W rating. It is the most powerful of the three, but its value depends heavily on the discount.
Reasons to buy on Black Friday: the fastest card here; best for 4K with path tracing and DLSS 4.
Reasons to skip: same 16GB of VRAM as the cheaper two; at inflated pricing the jump from an RTX 5070 Ti is hard to justify, as ThePCEnthusiast argued.
The catch: premium RTX 5080 models rarely see the deepest cuts; base models from MSI, Gigabyte, PNY, Zotac and ASUS Prime lines are the ones to watch.
Which of the three should you target?
| If you want… | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Highest frame rates per unit of money at 1440p | RX 9070 XT | Roughly level with the RTX 5070 Ti in raster games after driver updates, and usually cheaper in 2026 |
| Ray tracing, path tracing and DLSS 4 | RTX 5070 Ti | NVIDIA leads in ray-traced and NVIDIA-optimized titles |
| 4K high refresh with all effects on | RTX 5080 | The fastest of the three, with Multi Frame Generation to help at 4K |
| Creative work in CUDA apps alongside gaming | RTX 5070 Ti or RTX 5080 | Broader software support in video and 3D tools |
| Linux gaming | RX 9070 XT | AMD’s open-source drivers are the smoother route on Linux |
| Minimal upgrade hassle on an older PSU | RX 9070 XT reference-style models | Standard 8-pin connectors instead of 12V-2×6 |
Base models vs premium partner cards
Every one of these GPUs is sold in many versions. Base models stick close to reference clocks with simpler coolers, while premium models add bigger heatsinks, factory overclocks, RGB and dual BIOS switches. In 2026 the gap between the two has widened, because partners raised list prices on premium lines more aggressively; PC Gamer and other outlets reported some ASUS RX 9070 XT models jumping in price over the summer.
For most buyers, the base model is the better Black Friday buy. Factory overclocks typically add only a few percent of performance, which you will not notice in games, and a quality base cooler keeps noise reasonable. Premium models make sense if you want a quieter card in a small case, need a specific length or color, or the discount happens to put the premium model at base-model pricing. Treat that last case as the real Black Friday win.
What else your upgrade may need
- Power supply: a quality 750W unit is the practical floor for the RX 9070 XT and RTX 5070 Ti; 850W is safer for the RTX 5080 and factory-overclocked cards. PSUs are frequently discounted on Black Friday too.
- CPU: at 1080p, a processor older than a Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel 12th gen will hold these cards back. At 1440p and 4K the GPU does most of the work.
- Monitor: these are 1440p high-refresh and 4K cards. Pairing one with a 1080p 60Hz display wastes most of the upgrade.
- Case clearance: measure the free length in your case before buying, and check that the side panel clears the power cable bend on 12V-2×6 cards.
What counts as a good GPU deal in 2026
1. Compare against the recent street price, not the “list” price
Retailers often display a high “was” price. Ignore it. Use a price history tool, or note the price yourself every few days from now until Black Friday, and compare the sale price with the typical price over the previous 30 days. If the card was cheaper two weeks ago, it is not a deal.
2. Use percentage thresholds
- Under 5% off the 30-day typical price: not a real deal; it is normal fluctuation.
- 5% to 10%: fine if you need the card now.
- 10% to 15%: a good Black Friday GPU deal in a shortage year.
- 15% or more, or back at launch pricing: excellent; buy if the model and retailer check out.
3. Count bundles fairly
Game bundles and gift cards add value only if you would have bought the game anyway. Value a bundled game at what you would really pay for it, not the sticker price.
4. Check the exact model
Do not confuse the RX 9070 XT with the RX 9070, or the RTX 5070 Ti with the RTX 5070. The non-XT and non-Ti cards are meaningfully slower. Also check the card’s length and power connectors against your case and PSU.
Which retailers usually discount GPUs
| Retailer type | Examples | Typical pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Big-box electronics | Best Buy, Walmart | Doorbusters on specific models, often limited stock; reliable returns |
| PC specialists | Newegg, Micro Center, B&H Photo | Widest model selection, combo deals with CPUs or PSUs, promo codes |
| Manufacturer stores | NVIDIA’s store for Founders Edition, AMD’s direct store, partner stores | Founders Edition and reference models at list price; restocks rather than discounts |
| Online marketplaces | Large third-party marketplaces | Occasional deep cuts, but third-party sellers vary widely in reliability |
Prefer listings sold and shipped by the retailer itself. Third-party marketplace sellers sometimes advertise low prices with long shipping times, open-box stock or unclear warranties.
Black Friday buying strategy
- Start tracking now: note the typical street price of two or three specific models you would buy.
- Set alerts: price alerts on the exact model numbers save you from refreshing pages on the day.
- Buy early if a deal meets the threshold: in a shortage year, waiting for a better deal on Cyber Monday can mean the stock is gone.
- Use price protection: some retailers and credit cards refund the difference if the price drops further within a set window.
- Check return policies: holiday return windows are often extended into January, which protects you if a better deal appears.
- Consider a full-system deal: prebuilt PCs with these GPUs are sometimes discounted more than the cards alone, because system builders can source memory and GPUs in bulk.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Trusting a crossed-out “was” price without checking history.
- Buying an inflated premium partner model because it is “on sale” when a base model is cheaper and nearly as fast.
- Forgetting the power supply: AMD recommends 750W for the RX 9070 XT, and NVIDIA’s cards need a quality PSU with a 12V-2×6 cable or the supplied adapter.
- Ignoring card size; many triple-fan cards exceed 300mm.
- Buying from unknown marketplace sellers with no clear warranty.
Products Mentioned in This Guide
These are base-model versions of the three cards this tracker follows, plus the power supply class the upgrade section recommends, so you can watch their live listings against the deal thresholds above.
Sapphire Pulse AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
A base RX 9070 XT model of the kind where the best deals usually land, for the card we name the best value target this Black Friday.
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Challenger 16GB OC
Another base-model RX 9070 XT to track alongside the Pulse, since comparing two or three specific models makes a real discount easier to spot.
PNY GeForce RTX 5070 Ti OC Triple-Fan
The NVIDIA target for ray tracing and DLSS 4, worth buying only if a deal brings it close to its launch price.
ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5080 EVO 16GB OC Edition
An ASUS Prime base model of the RTX 5080, the fastest card here for 4K high refresh and heavy ray tracing, and the kind of model to watch rather than premium versions.
CORSAIR RM850e (2025) ATX 3.1 850W Power Supply
An 850W ATX 3.1 unit, the safer size for an RTX 5080 or factory-overclocked cards, and a part that is often discounted on Black Friday too.
How we compared
We compared these cards using manufacturer specifications, independent performance data and price tracking from the sources named above, and owner reports. We did not bench-test these cards ourselves. We list no prices because they change too quickly during the 2026 shortage; check the live listing and apply the thresholds above.
Sources
- AMD, Radeon RX 9070 XT specifications
- NVIDIA, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 specifications
- Tom’s Hardware, GPU price tracking
- PC Gamer, RX 9070 XT pricing coverage
- ThePCEnthusiast, GPU prices in 2026
- BottleneckPC, RTX 5080 price coverage
- TechPowerUp, RX 9070 XT driver performance report (Hardware Unboxed data)
- Wccftech, Black Ops 7 PC benchmarks
- Best Buy, Black Friday 2026 announcement
- Wikipedia, Steam Machine (memory shortage delay)
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Black Friday 2026?
Friday, November 27, 2026. Thanksgiving is November 26 and Cyber Monday is November 30. Many online sales start on Thanksgiving evening.
Will GPU prices drop on Black Friday 2026?
Some will, but the 2026 memory shortage means discounts may only bring cards back toward launch pricing rather than far below it.
Which is the best Black Friday GPU deal to wait for?
For value, the RX 9070 XT. For ray tracing and DLSS, the RTX 5070 Ti if it drops near launch pricing. For 4K, the RTX 5080 with a meaningful discount.
What percentage off is a good GPU deal?
Ten percent or more below the card’s 30-day typical street price is good this year; 15% or more, or a return to launch pricing, is excellent.
Is Cyber Monday better than Black Friday for GPUs?
Sometimes. Cyber Monday often has more online PC-part deals, but stock of the best Black Friday offers can run out first. Buy when a deal meets your threshold.
Should I buy now or wait for Black Friday?
If you need a card now and find one at or near launch pricing, buy it. Otherwise, track prices and wait for the late-November sales.
Are prebuilt PCs better deals than GPUs on Black Friday?
Often they can be, because system builders buy components in volume. Check memory and PSU quality before buying.
Why does this tracker not list prices?
GPU prices are changing weekly in 2026. Fixed numbers would go stale quickly, so we give thresholds you can apply to any live listing.
