Chinese marketplace giant Temu already has a reputation for using deep discount sales to attract new customers, but what about a completely free Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060? One lucky Reddit user Users claim they got just such a free Nvidia graphics card with their Temu sign-up deal. But before you rush into Temu, there are some big red flags that further obscure the clarity of this story.
It’s time for a heavy dose of realism to spoil a potentially incredible story. Nvidia’s best graphics cards are very expensive, so if you’re looking for a bargain, you’re in the wild. We have seen some Chinese e-commerce sites littered with many fake or misleading GPUs that are not what they seem. This Redditor may have gotten lucky, but it’s also very likely that he got a fake score.
Let’s discuss what we know so far. A week ago, user LudM shared in his original, now-deleted post that a few days ago he saw a Temu giveaway for a free RTX 3060 from a brand called Seijishi. Despite some healthy doubts, they signed up for the deal, received a tracking number, and everything seemed to be going well.
Just a week later, OP confirmed in a newly updated Reddit post that she had received the mysterious graphics card. This brand is not one we are familiar with and the box itself has immediate red flags. The box says GeForce RTX, but there’s no mention of the RTX 3060 model number other than an easy-to-apply sticker on the top. Is this all some sketchy manufacturer deception?
A quick inspection of the card itself confirms that it is an appropriately sized graphics card for an RTX 3060. It has a good sized heatsink and fan, has a dual slot overall thickness, and is not a small basic card. For example, an Nvidia GT 1030 labeled simply as an RTX 3060.
There’s also one DisplayPort port and two HDMI ports for connectivity, and an 8-pin PCIe power connector on the top edge of the card, all of which will be standard on the RTX 3060. There isn’t always a set method for installing it on your PC.
So, it looks like a graphics card, but is it a 3060? Unfortunately, the OP admits they haven’t tested it themselves, so there’s no way to know if it’s legit. Many unanswered questions remain about this Tem victory, but there are many possibilities. It could be a refurbished model, it could be a card made by a Chinese manufacturer using a mobile GPU chip, or it might not even be an RTX 3060 at all.
Best-case scenario, this Redditor scored a great bargain for a GPU that’s still great for gaming today. However, there’s a good chance this GPU isn’t what it seems, and I’m not sure I’d put it in my main gaming PC to check it out. Good luck, LudM – you’ll probably need it.
Looking to buy a new graphics card? We usually recommend passing up the Temu, but then check out our review of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super, the best all-rounder card for most gamers right now Introducing.
