October 24, 2022 at 2:53 AM Yesn't! I've recently completed a build with the 4090, 13900K and the new "kids on the block". The EU has meteorically bad prices, then, the shops themselves are scalping. A 4090, even the lower-tier ones, go for $2.5k or so. It's insanity. As for the US, while prices have gone down, especially for the 3060Ti (which is the most popular card, now with GDDR6 memory), it hasn't exactly been too great.
As per Jensen's Q2 Investor's Call, they are "price-positioning the 4000-series in order to unload the 3000 over-stock". In translation, they're asking for an arm and a leg for the 4090, on top of artificially creating a shortage, so that they can justify the (still) high prices of the 3000-series.
The worst of all - and I'm guilty of this too - people buy into it. 4090s are flying off the shelves as there isn't that much stock. If you follow the usual bandits on Twitter, you'd know that some retailers have received a few thousands of cards, yet, they've only sold a good few hundred so far.
It's insanity.
Expect prices to remain high for at least 6 more months.