AMD and Nvidia are misleading and deceiving

It’s been six months since Nvidia launched the Geforce RTX 3080. The graphics card was quickly followed by more models in the RTX 3000 series, and AMD later hooked up with the Radeon RX 6000. Common to both series is that they are among the most interesting in years, but also that the supply was lousy at launch – and continues to be lousy. Lousy.

In the autumn and towards the end of winter, both we at the editorial office and many of SweClocker’s members wished that the graphics card manufacturers would wait a few months with their respective launches, in order to launch in significant volumes. Well, we got it. Many of those who ordered just ten minutes after the start of sales have not yet received their Geforce RTX 3080. Six months later.

When I made a column three months ago, I pointed the finger at Nvidia and AMD, which could have planned better. At the time, the harmful effects in the supply chains were not yet fully exposed. Now, however, it is clear that there is not only a lack of obvious parts such as graphics circuits, but that both raw materials and small components in the periphery are difficult to obtain.

With the result in hand, they can both get a free card for the current shortage, at least in part. What they continue to do, however, is their so-called “launch prices”. To take a fresh example, we have today’s sales start of the Radeon RX 6700 XT, where a few subsidized copies were sold for SEK 5,099. Before anyone comes up with tedious and ridiculous accusations of fanboyism, Nvidia is an equally good cabbage drinker.

Our graphics card manufacturers continue to communicate “recommended prices”, which simply have no basis in reality. In addition to those first two copies that are subsidized, they are sold out in a few minutes and are immediately replaced by items that are several thousand kronor more expensive. The worst thing, however, is not that their set price cannot become a reality, but that they themselves are the cause.

It is easy to point the finger at those who are in the front line, the retailers, who show shameless prices in their online stores. But that’s not because they have any margins to speak of. The same applies to distributors and to some extent partner manufacturers – Asus, Gigabyte and MSI and many more. We have to go further back in the supply chain, all the way back to AMD and Nvidia.

It is normal for AMD and Nvidia to sell a graphics circuit in a package with graphics memory to their partners, who in turn use these on a customized circuit board, slam on their own cooling solution and send it on to eventually reach the store shelves. When they sells their packages well above the recommended price it goes without saying that it does not hold – and that both are lying so it is wonderful.

To return to the Radeon RX 6700 XT, which is again just the latest example, AMD contacted us immediately after the publication of our test and announced that they would sell the graphics card from their website at the recommended price. It is good that those who can sell a non-existent limited edition at a recommended price. The purpose of this was of course that we would set a rating, where performance is weighed against the price. Which, of course, is what we most want to do.

Six months later, we at the editorial office have found ourselves in the tragic situation that it has become almost impossible to be a consumer guide in graphics cards. Partly due to the historical shortage, but above all due to the fact that the only two players in the market are misleading and deceiving. Set recommended prices that are realistic in the prevailing conditions and lower when possible. Everyone likes price reductions.

What we can do in anticipation of better times is to highlight their consumer-hostile behavior. What if a third, not always so beloved, player steps in and surprises by playing with open cards?

Selection of news about the graphics card shortage: