Holiday Gaming PC and Pokémon TCG Deals: Price Check

Post-holiday sales have introduced significant price drops on pre-built gaming PCs and Pokémon Trading Card Game products. Skytech is leading the gaming hardware discounts with builds featuring RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 graphics cards priced under $2,000 and $2,800 respectively. These deals are particularly timely given the current memory chip shortage affecting RAM prices.

On the collectibles front, while Amazon has restocked popular Pokémon TCG sets, TCGPlayer maintains a price advantage on both new and secondary market items. The independent retailer offers the lowest prices on Silver Tempest and Prismatic Evolutions Elite Trainer Boxes, as well as the best value on Destined Rivals Booster Bundles.

The post-Christmas period has brought new price drops on pre-built gaming PCs, a sector gaining popularity due to recent price increases on components like RAM. Skytech has reduced prices on a range of systems ahead of New Year's Day, offering high-performance builds at competitive rates.

Key configurations currently available include:

• RTX 5070 Ti builds for under $2,000
• RTX 5080 builds for under $2,800
• RTX 5060 build with 32GB DDR4 for $1,079

The $1,079 RTX 5060 build is highlighted as a strong deal for 1080p gaming, featuring either an Intel i5-14400F or AMD Ryzen 7 5700 processor. This specific configuration is valuable given the current memory chip shortage, which has driven up the cost of DDR4 RAM. For users planning future upgrades, the 'Crystal' build is recommended for its spacious case allowing for larger GPU installations.

For high-end gaming, the '$2,799.99 Aqua build' offers 4K gaming capabilities out of the box. This system includes a white and blue case with CPU liquid cooling, an RTX 5080, 32GB DDR5 RAM, and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor.

Amazon has increased its stock of Pokémon TCG products for the holidays, featuring price drops on popular sets. Surging Sparks and Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Boxes are listed below market value, alongside Destined Rivals triple booster packs. However, independent retailer TCGPlayer is currently offering the majority of the best prices on both new and secondary market items.

Price comparisons show significant savings on TCGPlayer:

• Silver Tempest Elite Trainer Box: Available for far less than Amazon's price.
• Prismatic Evolutions ETB: Available for far less than Amazon's price.
• Destined Rivals Booster Bundles: Priced at $52.50.

The Destined Rivals Booster Bundles at $52.50 provide double the number of booster packs compared to the three-pack deals found elsewhere, for less than double the price. The appearance of Silver Tempest sealed product on Amazon has also been noted, potentially signaling more Sword & Shield-era reprints appearing on store shelves.

The current electronics market is defined by a memory chip shortage affecting components across the board. This shortage has resulted in elevated pricing for RAM, including DDR4, which makes pre-built gaming PC deals particularly attractive. Shoppers looking to upgrade or purchase new systems are finding value in bundled configurations that bypass the current retail prices of individual components.

Regarding collectible cards, the availability of specific sets fluctuates between major retailers and independent sellers. While Amazon restocks popular items, the aggregate pricing from the independent retailer market often undercuts these major platforms. This dynamic is evident in the pricing of older sets like Silver Tempest and newer releases like Destined Rivals.