AMD has made the commitment to keep the graphics card prices steady no matter how badly the global RAM situation goes along with it. The company believes that it can afford to make this promise because of its long-term strategic partnerships with DRAM manufacturers. So, this is a good news for gamers who are already having nightmares about the price hikes of the gaming hardware which is so necessary.
AMD through its Twitter account posts the message announcing its intent to keep the GPU prices low.The digital gaming community’s reaction to this announcement is basically a mixture of hope, disbelief and utter confusion all at the same time. The term “try” here has a very powerful and important role, right? For example, one user called SlimeMonsterSM even said “The TRY part scares me but lets hope.” Which, to be honest, is the same feeling everyone has. After the wild ride with GPUs over the past few years, who would not be a little bit worried?
The entire issue is a dramatic one centered on a global shortage of RAM that is taking down the whole industry. On the other end, AMD believes that they are backed by “very strategic partnerships over many, many years with all the DRAM manufacturers.” That’s what they said. In another witty reply from Oionz, the point was made that the industry always talks about long-term relationships when prices increase. The ultimate question remains whether such alliances will really protect the end consumer or merely sustain the company’s profit margins. “If AMD can break that pattern, the whole GPU conversation will be different.” That is a huge if, man.
The journey through the replies is a thrilling one. The gamesthoyalty that refuses to switch sides just because of their convictions. The user th0usandw0rd put it bluntly, “If this is indeed the case, I will from now on rely on AMD solely out of principle. NVIDIA couldn’t care less about the users.” That’s quite a powerful statement! On the contrary, there is the perspective of RubenHaramorim who very openly expressed, “Couldn’t pay me to use one of those dog shit cards.” It seems that the fanboy wars are very much alive and even active during such price discussions.
However, a good part of the conversation can be seen as… practical. Users are reviewing their current graphics cards and contemplating whether an upgrade is necessary. RoyGlassZZ mentioned his RTX 3060 12GB and guaranteed that he would be fine for another year or two. Erago furthered that discussion by saying that “All games have been running on AMD for at least ten years now” and that FSR is not so bad, so the brand loyalty to Nvidia for features like DLSS might not be that important anymore. It is the whole dilemma of durability versus new functionalities. In addition, ErisButRacist brought up a very interesting point that the shortage of hardware could actually force developers to optimize games better allowing older cards like the GTX 10-series to have a “decent comeback.” Can you believe that?
Next, very pure and unmasked skepticism enters. User agenzlabs ironically noted that “trying to keep prices low usually means a $50 rise instead of a $100.” VacantVeto spoke right to AMD accusingly: “And yet you have already raised them to be on level with Nvidia…” Ouch! And munter_Matt just completely dismisses it all: “I don’t trust AMD any more than I trust Nvidia.” One really cannot dispute the notion that with the trust issues stemming from the crypto and pandemic craziness, the trust is now very much in short supply.
Some comments were unrelated to the topic but again that is just the way the internet works. Spreadsheeticus made up this conspiracy theory that AI is being utilized as an excuse to wipe out the hardware market thus forcing everyone to adopt cloud gaming, and that AMD coming to the rescue of the home market is a “smart move.” It is so easy to get caught up in the conspiracy theories.
And of course, the demands started to flow in. Snoisy_ was practically begging AMD not to “forget about the 6000 series drivers support.” Renaissance181 was asking for FSR 4 to be compatible with all GPUs, “even the RX 580 LOL.” And Limelightkipaw just came up with the direct request: “Give me a free PC so I can upgrade from my steam deck and maybe- ill believe you.” Well, shoot your shot, right?
If we look from a distance we will see that the gamers have been worn-out. They are tired of the roller coaster. They are holding on to the old cards, making the most out of them, and every time they spot a corporate promise they just give it the skeptical look. The promise of AMD may be a potential bright spot, a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe, one of the big gaming companies will prioritize the player’s wallet. This conversation, while focused on PC hardware, reflects a broader sentiment across the console and gaming landscape.
