AMD Confirms Price Drop, Adds “3 For Free” Game Promo

[The RealRollo]

Smart shoppers will look beyond this desparate marketing ploy at the following:
1. Two of the three games cost less than $9.00 (yes, $9.00):
http://store.steampowered.com/app/96800/[/url]
Nexuiz $8.99 retail at pre-launch prices. (they only get cheaper from there)
http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-DEHR/deus-ex-human-revolution-[/url]
Deus Ex Human Revolution $7.49 retail. For most people buying $400+ video cards, $16.48 worth of games is not a factor.
2. The market for used 7970s is quickly getting soft because everyone on the planet knows the 680 is the better card. I just checked Ebay and used 3GB 7970s have gone for as cheap as $400. recently. The couple bucks you save up front will be the big loss you take on resale when it's time to upgrade. (for perspective, the cheapest GTX680 was an open box at $519- still above MSRP)
3. The marketing ploy itself is an admission from AMD their product can't compete at NVIDIA's MSRP and that they need to be cheaper with added incentives to have a hope of selling. If you're spending over $450 on a video card anyway, do you really want the one they have to use price cuts and gimmicky give aways to sell? When the part everyone wants, that will hold it's value far better, is just a few dollars more?
Food for thought.

[sswilson]

Originally Posted by The RealRollo

Smart shoppers will look beyond this desparate marketing ploy at the following:
1. Two of the three games cost less than $9.00 (yes, $9.00):
http://store.steampowered.com/app/96800/[/url]
Nexuiz $8.99 retail at pre-launch prices. (they only get cheaper from there)
http://www.gamersgate.com/DD-DEHR/deus-ex-human-revolution-[/url]
Deus Ex Human Revolution $7.49 retail. For most people buying $400+ video cards, $16.48 worth of games is not a factor.
2. The market for used 7970s is quickly getting soft because everyone on the planet knows the 680 is the better card. I just checked Ebay and used 3GB 7970s have gone for as cheap as $400. recently. The couple bucks you save up front will be the big loss you take on resale when it's time to upgrade. (for perspective, the cheapest GTX680 was an open box at $519- still above MSRP)
3. The marketing ploy itself is an admission from AMD their product can't compete at NVIDIA's MSRP and that they need to be cheaper with added incentives to have a hope of selling. If you're spending over $450 on a video card anyway, do you really want the one they have to use price cuts and gimmicky give aways to sell? When the part everyone wants, that will hold it's value far better, is just a few dollars more?
Food for thought.

AMD employees and stealth viral marketers

Just so we're clear here... do you recieve free kit and/or money from Nvidia?

I'm not a big fan of trolls, and have even less time for paid trolls.

[The RealRollo]

Originally Posted by sswilson

AMD employees and stealth viral marketers

Just so we're clear here... do you recieve free kit and/or money from Nvidia?

I'm not a big fan of trolls, and have even less time for paid trolls.

My apologies, I must have deleted my sig when I quit the focus group. NVIDIA did send me one of my two GTX680s though, and Skymtl says we met at the launch event. (which I actually remember now, things were a little fuzzy the second day when we ran into each other)

I've put a sig and avatar noting my loose association with NVIDIA on my account.

I've never received a dime from anyone in the hardware or software industry, other than what I earn at the business apps firm I work for.

[sswilson]

Originally Posted by The RealRollo

My apologies, I must have deleted my sig when I quit the focus group. NVIDIA did send me one of my two GTX680s though, and Skymtl says we met at the launch event. (which I actually remember now, things were a little fuzzy the second day when we ran into each other)

I've put a sig and avatar noting my loose association with NVIDIA on my account.

I've never received a dime from anyone in the hardware or software industry, other than what I earn at the business apps firm I work for.

And that's fine. I personally don't have a problem with legitimate things like this being pointed out no matter what the bias of the source, but if there is a link (such as the one for the focus group, and/or getting the occasional free swag), I think it's fair for our members to be informed of that link so that they can take that into account when considering the news/comment.

Thank you for clearing this up.

Steve

[The RealRollo]

Originally Posted by sswilson

And that's fine. I personally don't have a problem with legitimate things like this being pointed out no matter what the bias of the source, but if there is a link (such as the one for the focus group, and/or getting the occasional free swag), I think it's fair for our members to be informed of that link so that they can take that into account when considering the news/comment.

Thank you for clearing this up.

Steve

You're welcome, and agreed on the above.