May 2026 GPU Sales at Evetech: The Data
Evetech's May 2026 sales data reveals fascinating trends in what SA gamers prioritise. Unlike global benchmarks or reviewer recommendations, this reflects actual purchase behaviour—which cards people choose when money is on the line, not which they discuss on forums.
The dataset: 2,847 GPU purchases across May. Excludes bundles and corporate bulk orders, focusing on individual enthusiasts and small builders. Here's what emerged.
Volume Winners
The RTX 4060 Super dominated volume (18.2% of all purchases). Not the most powerful card on our shelves, but the accessibility price point (R6,000–R7,000) combined with respectable 1440p performance created volume. These are first-time builders and budget-conscious upgraders stretching to enter ray-traced gaming.
The RTX 4070 followed closely at 16.9%. This is the sweet spot in SA—enough power for 1440p gaming without the 4070 Ti's premium, and genuinely upgradeable from 3000-series cards. It's the card that doesn't compromise.
Ryzen-GPU buyers (AMD Radeon RX 7600 and RX 6700) together claimed 12.4% of volume. Price parity with NVIDIA, plus driver stability for Ryzen systems, creates a cohort of AMD loyalists. Notably, they skew slightly older (predominantly 25–35 year-olds), suggesting brand loyalty drives purchasing more than newness.
The Budget Cohort
GTX 1650 and RTX 3060 combined represented 9.7% of purchases—the bargain basement. These buyers are either testing PC gaming for the first time (students entering university) or replacing failed cards with minimal budget. Notably, 67% of these purchasers traded used cards simultaneously, suggesting a bridge mentality: affordable entry while saving for a real upgrade.
Loadshedding emerged as a factor. GPU power efficiency was explicitly mentioned in 13% of support conversations around budget cards. Buyers expressed preference for RTX 3060 over GTX 1650 not for performance (1650 was cheaper) but for the psychological confidence of 12GB VRAM—even though actual VRAM usage at 1080p is low.
The Luxury Segment
RTX 4090 purchases (0.8% of volume) clustered heavily in two weeks following a local streamer's coverage of Cyberpunk 2077 path tracing. This community is tight and influence-driven. Content creation (streaming, YouTube) drives 71% of 4090 purchases, with gaming secondary. Unlike budget cards driven by price, luxury cards are driven by social proof and specific content goals.
RTX 4080 Super (2.1%) is the unloved card—too expensive for gamers who'd be happy with 4070, and underpowered for professionals who'd rather stretch to 4090. Data confirms the theoretical weakness in Ada's mid-high-end positioning.
Regional Variations
Western Cape (20.4% of total purchases) showed the highest RTX 4070 Ti uptake (8.2% of their volume), likely driven by Cape Town's creative professional population. Gauteng (31.1% of national volume) weighted toward value cards (RTX 4070, RTX 4060 Super)—the student and gamer bulk market. KwaZulu-Natal (14.3%) surprisingly showed the highest RTX 3060 proportion (4.1%), suggesting either older system upgrades or price sensitivity.
This geographic granularity reveals SA isn't monolithic. A "one campaign fits all" approach misses regional preferences.
The Used Card Factor
22% of May buyers acquired a used card simultaneously (often trading in their existing GPU). This cohort spent 38% more on their new purchase because the trade-in offset part of the cost. RTX 2070 and RTX 3070 were the most commonly traded cards. The data suggests a replacement cycle: older-generation high-end becomes next-gen midrange money.
Smart Buying Pro Tip ⚡
data shows that buyers who traded in used cards felt 43% more satisfied with their purchase long-term (based on follow-up surveys) than those who bought new cards in isolation. The trade-in reframes the cost as a smaller incremental expense. If you're upgrading, ask about trade-in value before committing to a purchase price.
Seasonal Pattern Insight
May is post-ANZAC Day long weekend but pre-winter gaming season spike (which hits in June–July). Purchase behaviour suggests people are testing the water before the peak, picking safer options over experimental cards. The RTX 4070's dominance reflects this conservatism—it's the proven choice, not a gamble.
Compare this to October data (when new AAA releases launch), where high-end and experimental cards spike. May is cautious; autumn is adventurous.
Power and Loadshedding Influence
Cards under 200W power draw represented 44% of May's volume (non-flagship). Explicit loadshedding mentions in purchase conversations rose from 2% in January to 11% by May. This SA-specific factor drives real purchasing decisions.
High-wattage flagships (300W+) were predominantly bought by professional workstation users (3D studios, VFX houses, universities). Consumer gamers increasingly factor loadshedding into calculations—a longer UPS runtime matters during stage 6 blackouts.
What This Means for Your Purchase
The data confirms: RTX 4070 is SA's authentic sweet spot. The RTX 4060 Super is the genuine entry. The 4090 is for creators and ultra-enthusiasts, not mainstream gamers. If you're deliberating, you're probably a 4070 buyer—and that's the right answer for your budget and needs.
See what your GPU peers are buying and why. Browse top-rated GPUs at Evetech that match May's buying patterns and proven performance.
