Buy A GPU or Lease a GPU?

[porterjonny53]

Next week as of Monday, I will be getting my first job, making $800 a month if I put in as many hours as I can at my age, and I'm due for an upgrade. I have had a HD 7870 for quite a while now, but the card is having errors, and causing blue screens, and is just getting outdated. I have my mind set on getting a GTX 980 Classified (http://www.evga.com/Products/Product.aspx?pn=04G-P4-3988-KR). It should last, quite a while and let me max out pretty much every game with 60 FPS. There is a new website called Cutting edge gamer,(https://cuttingedgegamer.com/products) Which allows you to lease a GPU. The GPU I want is
$78.99 a month. I was wondering, should save up and buy the card, or lease the card and buy it at the end of the 12 month billing cycle?

 

[fnmeo]

I would save up for it. You will spend a lot more leasing it and its not like you can't play on the 7870 for the time being.

 

[bgunner]

I agree with saving up the cash because you will pay way over retail price for the convenience of monthly payments. Newegg has that card priced at $689.99 USD where that site would have you pay $947.88 before taxes and service charges. Not worth leasing.

 

[dark_lord69]

I would buy the card use it for 1 or 2 years, then sell it on ebay. The cost you pay can be partially offset when you sell it.
Example: I bought a used HD 4870 on ebay, paid $80, used it for about a year and a half before selling it for $60...
Total cost = $20 for 1.5 yrs

However, you are looking at a high end card which declines in value rapidly especially after the next gen heavy weights come out.
Your $699 purchase may only give you $300 or so by the time you sell it. (depending on many factors)

At $78.99 per month, it doesn't seem like a good deal.
After 12 months you will have paid $947.88

If you really want a better way then buy the card using a credit card or credit account.
Example: If you apply for a paypal credit card and get accepted, then spend over $100 you will get 0% interest for 6 months
So... $699 / 6 = $116.55 per month for 6 months.

If you have decent credit you can get cards that will allow for 12 or 18 months at 0% interest.
12 months = $58.33 per month
18 months = $38.89 per month

I believe buying and then reselling is your best option but I would never recommend spending that much on a video card. So I honestly think you shouldn't get such an expensive card but that just my personal preferences talking.

 

[gamerxavier]

hrmm I'm not sure if you can do this at your age and depending on the bank involved. But, you may try talking to your parents about doing a secured loan option with you? or another type of loan with your and their name on it. This might help your credit giving you more options in the future for pay over time plans. It's also a smart way to persuade parents to get involved with upgrades 😉. what good parent wouldn't want to help their child build their credit 😀


But, anyways if there aren't any other options I'd just save up for it. This teaches you the discipline of not spending more than what you actually have.


If you are above 18 definitely try to get a secured card. Save up for it if you must. But, getting a secured card can really help you over time and it builds your credit.

Edit: Another option is browse craigslist and ebay. If you live near a college a recently desperate college student may be selling stuff dirt cheap. I got a GTX 680, i7, 16GB ram, 512GB ssd and a bunch of other glorious hardware for $600 recently.