AMD Lied about GPU prices

Off-Topic Games, Gaming and Hardware
1

I posted in the other thread, but I really feel like it deserves its own since I’m pretty upset at AMD after doing some research and math.

I remember being really stoked about AMD’s announcement of claimed MSRP prices.

However, that’s just not the reality and it never has been.

I did the math recently, using the same trim card shipped and sold by newegg (not marked up):

Claimed MSRP for reference design:
3060 ti $399
3070 $499
6800 $549
6800XT $649
3080 $699
6900XT $999
3090 $1499

Actual, post tariff MSRP:
ASUS TUF 3060 ti: $539
ASUS TUF 3070: $659
ASUS TUF 6800 $825
ASUS TUF 3080 $854
ASUS TUF 6800 XT $989
ASUS TUF 6900XT $1404
ASUS TUF 3090 $1836

Absolute price over reference MSRP and percentage over reference MSRP
3060 ti --> $140 (~35% higher)
3070 --> $160 (~32% higher)
3080 --> $155 (~22% higher)
3090 --> $335 (~22% higher)
6800 --> $276 (~50% higher)
6800XT --> $340 (~53% higher)
6900XT --> $405 (~40% higher)

AMD cards have a much higher “premium” markup over Nvidia cards, with AMD’s 6800XT having over twice as much “premium” over MSRP vs. the 3080, and almost 4x with the 6900XT vs the 3090.

The point? Take any comparison between cards with a grain of salt. The 3070 is often compared to the 6800, and the 3080 is often compared to the 6800XT. But if you consider pricing, the 3080 is more comparable to the 6800, not the XT variant.

Meanwhile, you really are hard pressed to find any MSRP reference AMD cards, but you still CAN find MSRP FE cards for Nvidia.

Basically, AMD lied about pricing completely. And that’s weak.

2

No doubt, that is upsetting. I’m also a bit ticked about the prices of Power supplies and how there are none of the Seasonic 850s that I want or my first choice Cooler Master V1200. Out of stock every where or just Outrageously priced only trump could buy it.

3

Prices here gone up as well. Even though tariff has nothing to do with here, some brands beginning to increase price.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17KrhJPbmTgjvOSLtTyFYqcavVey552nW/view

As at now, 1 USD = RM4.03

4

?? What are you talking about

None of them say in stock, except for the 3090 pny card that’s listed about $2200

Also the increase prices is the 3rd party vendors choice not AMD’s

AMD’s and Nvidia reference cards will be what they advertise at their announcements, this is what the footnotes say at the bottom when you read the fine line the vendors can make their AiBs much as they wish for

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5

People have been able to get FE cards - not saying they’re available now - generally at much greater frequency than reference AMD 6000 series cards.

You aren’t going to find ANY gpus in stock at any given moment. They’re all at the mercy of spotty drops.

AMD has been criticized for not having any MSRP cards, which remains for the most part true to this day.

Over the past 2 months while I was trying to find a 3080/6800XT, there were near-zero chances to get a 6800XT at $649 - they were specifically limited to the reference cards which were basically unicorns.

Meanwhile, during that period, $699-729 RTX 3080s were relatively common (as common as ANY new GPU could be, that is).

Even HUB criticized them on this.

6

3080s, 3090s, 3070s FE last in stock on nvidias store: October 1st

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7

Meaningless, since they have been sold at Best Buy exclusively since then.

Your chances of getting a 3080 for around $699 (asking price) compared to a 6800XT for $649 was much, much, much higher.

This is from my experience stalking discord and twitch streams for months.

I got two 3000 series cards at MSRP vs. never even had a chance at a 6800XT MSRP card, and not even the expensive AIBs.

8

Best buys 3070: January 5th so you get that one point

Best buy 3080: November 10th

Best buy 3090: November 20th

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9

Well it’s confirmed, you are definitely the original “you”
I like how you laser focused on the FE part and ignored the rest of my post.

MSRP 6000 series cards are a myth. Meanwhile, MSRP 3000 series cards aren’t.

This was the case up until the tariff bump, and even with the math as above, still is closer in line with original MSRP than AMD 6000 series using the same teir-level of card from the same MFG.

10

I got a Gigabyte 3070 Aorus Master for $599 (this was expensive, I’ll admit) and an ASUS 3080 TUF OC for $749.

My friend got a Zotac 3080 AMP for $729, and another got a FE for $699.

I know exactly zero people who got MSRP 6000 series cards, and I’m not the only one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaBIgo0ZCxs

And the situation hasn’t really improved much.

11

I’m not understanding what you’re trying to point out… The AMD reference cards are going to be MSRP, the price increases only applied to the aftermarket cards

This for example

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/msi-radeon-rx-6800-xt-16g-16gb-gddr6-pci-express-4-0-graphics-card-black-black/6440913.p?skuId=6440913

A sold out card but the price is still $650… Because this is a reference card

Asus, gigabyte, zotac, all those brands, are gonna charge overprice for their versions of said cards if there’s demand for it, AMD nor Nvidia can’t change their prices because it’s not their reference card, it’s an aftermarket card

12

Then you aren’t listening without bias.

AMD said their cards were going to be $549, $649, and $999 respectively. These prices were ONLY for reference designs, and at launch there were zero AIB cards that matched these prices.

Nvidia on the other hand launched their cards at $399, $499, $699, and $1499, with numerous AIBs selling cards at or near those prices. Most AMD AIBs were 20% or more. (see my numbers).

AMD drew criticism for not having any AIB card offerings at or near MSRP, and all AIB cards at launch were ridiculously overpriced.

This means, the only way to get the cards at the prices they advertised for, you had to get a reference design, which was very hard to find.

On team Nvidia, you did NOT need to get an FE to pay advertised MSRP. There were numerous models, and availability, while still low, was realistically obtainable with enough effort.

Then to add more to the fire, AMD even was about to discontinue the reference designs:

https://www.techradar.com/news/amd-radeon-rx-6800-and-6900-series-reference-cards-may-have-already-been-discontinued#:~:text=AMD%20has%20already%20discontinued%20its,will%20no%20longer%20be%20made.

Until they received media backlash over the decision, then reversed course:

https://www.guru3d.com/news-story/amd-extends-radeon-rx-68006900-production-indefinitely-due-to-popular-demand.html

So in short, AMD didn’t really ever intend to sell cards in large quantities at or near MSRP, reference or AIB. As it stands, there have been very few opportunities to get 6000 series cards at their advertised price points.

Nvidia on the other hand, did (and still does, as current prices for both Nvidia and AMD reflect tariff increases).

AMD’s Reference designs at $549 and $649 are like saying abortion is legal, but then closing down all the clinics except one with reduced capacities and hours to serve an entire state.

13

AMD cards here are more expensive than Nvidia.

6900 XT = no comparison. USD 1250 says its extremely overpriced.
6800 XT = more expensive than RTX 3080
6800 = Priced at RTX 3080 price point

14

This is nearly the same in the USA, as I pointed out in the original post.

The only opportunities I had for a 6800 were $729 and for a 6800 XT was $879.

I chose the 3080 instead at $749, lol.

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15

I’d also like to point out that I actually wanted the 6800 XT more. I didn’t even want the 3080, but when prices ended up materializing that the 3080 was actually less expensive, and more available, that’s what ultimately guided my decision.

16

They were at or close to reference prices for aftermarket cards, you literally had to buy them at the speed of light before the prices went up over time

https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/comments/kji482/gpu_asus_tuf_gaming_amd_radeon_rx_6900_xt_oc/

This price increase is to blame by scalpers/miners buying up the cards and 3rd party brands taking advantage of the demand

17

This is contradictory to not only every media outlet I’ve watched, but every forum I’ve been involved with and my own personal experience following discords and twitch streams.

These are not considering scalping prices, as also indicated in the video I linked.

AMD could have reeled in the AIB pricing, as I’m sure Nvidia did so there would be MSRP cards at launch (which happened). But they didn’t.

18

Many sellers here went full rig bundle for those with MSRP prices. Some distributors putting up USD 100-125 markup and some shops are scalping.

Even the shop I used to trust now became greedy status. USD 1450 for Asus TUF OC RTX 3080 is ridiculous.

19

Day 1 MSRP 3080’s at $699-749:

Nvidia FE
ASUS TUF
ASUS TUF OC
MSI Ventus 3x
EVGA Black
EVGA Black SC
Zotac Trinity
Zotac Trinity OC
Gigabyte Eagle
Gigabyte Gaming OC
Gigabyte Vision

Day 1 MSRP AIB 6800XT’s at $649-700:

AMD Reference
MSI Reference
Sapphire Reference
XFX Reference

Keep in mind these reference designs were incredibly low availability even to this day. And were intended to be discontinued until AMD got called out for it.

20

Like Techspot / Hardware Unboxed said. “None you could buy”

https://www.techspot.com/article/2180-best-and-worst-hardware-2020/