[Hexus] AMD initiating significant price cuts for 290 and 290X

[Mondozei]

In the wake of the 970 VRAM scandal(it's the closest thing we've got to Watergate in the GPU space), AMD is moving with significant price cuts Hexus reports.

The cheapest 290X now on Newegg costs 280 dollars after rebate. That's a card that, according to TechPowerUp's performance index, is basically 15% off a GTX 980 and is faster, by a significant margin, than the GTX Titan.

The cheapest 290 now costs a shocking 250 dollars after rebates. This compares with 330 dollars for the GTX 970. In my view, the 290X is now the better value option than the 290.

Just to recap, the 290X used to cost almost 200 dollars more than the 290 at MSRP and during the height of the mining boom, it cost almost 900 dollars to buy a new 290X.
Now the premium is just 30 dollars. The 290X's price is now just 12% above the 290 with about 10% extra performance. That really erodes the value argument for the 290 and shows that AMD is really trying to cut down the 970's sales.

Will it be enough? Well, who knows. But it's certainly good for consumers and might force Nvidia to lower their own prices.

 

[NTMBK]

In the wake of the 970 VRAM scandal(it's the closest thing we've got to Watergate in the GPU space)

Oh come on, that's a pretty ridiculous overstatement. :\

 

[ShintaiDK]

The prices have been in that range for a long time. And I dont see any official news from AMD.

So what is this article about again?

 

[dn7309]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JbHY09Xf0J0

AMD released a new 'The Fixer' teaser to go along with the price drop

 

[Rvenger]

MSI R9 290x Lightning for $299 AR - now that's a deal for arguably the best 290x made.

 

[thilanliyan]

Lol, and I paid $400 each for my 290s JUST before the mining craze hit!

 

[KaRLiToS]

The prices have been in that range for a long time. And I dont see any official news from AMD.

So what is this article about again?

Have you seen any official statement on Nvidia drivers and returns? Because I didn't. We just saw a post on their forum get removed. And every articles are talking about those posts from PeterS and him not responding to PM anymore.

On the other end, It is also written in every articles that AMD did a price cut. It is really hard to find any official statements from both sides honestly, but we have seen amdRoy and Thracks open the door.

So yeah, they cut the prices due to the GTX 970 scandals.

• http://www.59hardware.net/actualité...on-d'amd-face-à-la-gtx-970-2015013016797.html
• http://www.ginjfo.com/actualites/co...as-se-moquer-il-baisse-tarif-r9-290x-20150129
• http://www.pcworld.com/article/2877...uts-add-pressure-to-gtx-970-memory-furor.html
• http://www.techspot.com/news/59576-amd-cuts-radeon-r9-290x-price-amid-gtx.html
• http://www.kitguru.net/components/g...prices-of-radeon-r9-290-graphics-cards-again/
• http://www.techpowerup.com/209412/amd-cashes-in-on-gtx-970-drama-cuts-r9-290x-price.html

And I must have skipped a lot.

( I checked everyday new news articles that released on AMD, Nvidia and Intel. )

 

[jackstar7]

Backordered, but a ridiculous deal: http://www.ncixus.com/products/?sku...GBD5-TDHE&manufacture=PowerColor&promoid=1452

290x at $262 and that's before a $30 rebate.

 

[tential]

Backordered, but a ridiculous deal: http://www.ncixus.com/products/?sku...GBD5-TDHE&manufacture=PowerColor&promoid=1452

290x at $262 and that's before a $30 rebate.

Wow... AMD going all in to milk this debacle.
Good for them for actually trying something... anything... for once...

 

[KaRLiToS]

Wow... AMD going all in to milk this debacle.
Good for them for actually trying something... anything... for once...

It is a great chance for them to grab some mad Nvidia users.

On the other side some users will stay loyal, just like some wives that say they still love their husbands even if they beat them.

 

[destrekor]

I think all of these deals existed prior to the 970 scandal. I recall seeing some of these deals when I first started researching what I want to buy next, and I had started before the scandal really hit the media. Maybe AMD saw the concerns earlier in the month, but there was zero media attention until people started pressing Nvidia for answers and they responded.

Some of the "lesser" 290x's have been getting some good deals, but the ones with higher clocks and better cooling are still between $300-350, and have been all month I think, perhaps longer.

 

[tarasis]

MSI R9 290x Lightning for $299 AR - now that's a deal for arguably the best 290x made.

Still around 380-430 euros in Germany. Apparently we dont get the nice price cuts.

 

[shady28]

...
The cheapest 290X now on Newegg costs 280 dollars after rebate. That's a card that, according to TechPowerUp's performance index, is basically 15% off a GTX 980 and is faster, by a significant margin, than the GTX Titan.
...

That's odd seeing as how when I pull up benchmarks here at AT the 970 and R9 290X are on roughly equal footing :

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1355?vs=1056


And the R9 290X vs GTX 980, the GTX stomps it :

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1351?vs=1056


Maybe the author is looking at the power consumption graphs, where the R9 290X 'stomps' the GTX970/980 by consuming more power?

 

[Makaveli]

That's odd seeing as how when I pull up benchmarks here at AT the 970 and R9 290X are on roughly equal footing :

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1355?vs=1056


And the R9 290X vs GTX 980, the GTX stomps it :

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1351?vs=1056


Maybe the author is looking at the power consumption graphs, where the R9 290X 'stomps' the GTX970/980 by consuming more power?

Thats because he is looking at it objectively without bias

Those graphs show the 980 is indeed faster which is common knowledge but stomping it does not.

 

[wand3r3r]

That's odd seeing as how when I pull up benchmarks here at AT the 970 and R9 290X are on roughly equal footing :

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1355?vs=1056


And the R9 290X vs GTX 980, the GTX stomps it :

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1351?vs=1056


Maybe the author is looking at the power consumption graphs, where the R9 290X 'stomps' the GTX970/980 by consuming more power?

Techpowerup seems to have latest drivers, AT might have old drivers.

The 14.12 omega driver brought a lot of speedups.

AMD: Catalyst 14.12 Omega WHQL
NVIDIA: 347.09 WHQL

The GCN cards have been closing the gap since maxwell released.

 

[tential]

It is a great chance for them to grab some mad Nvidia users.

On the other side some users will stay loyal, just like some wives that say they still love their husbands even if they beat them.

If I was AMD, I'd focus on a driver update as well right now. Whatever issues they can fix, no matter how small, they should fix now. They're going to have users switching from GTX 970s to R9 290/x. The last thing they want is "Bad Drivers" to be confirmed.

I'd be working on a "Omega Part 2" right about now.

 

[SteveGrabowski]

I think all of these deals existed prior to the 970 scandal. I recall seeing some of these deals when I first started researching what I want to buy next, and I had started before the scandal really hit the media. Maybe AMD saw the concerns earlier in the month, but there was zero media attention until people started pressing Nvidia for answers and they responded.

Some of the "lesser" 290x's have been getting some good deals, but the ones with higher clocks and better cooling are still between $300-350, and have been all month I think, perhaps longer.

It looks like the prices have dropped $10 or so.

 

[B-Riz]

If they are releasing a new chip in a few months, this is a good coincidence that allows mfgs to get rid of 290 / 290x stock.

 

[guskline]

I'm returning my Gigabyte GTX 970 and getting a Sapphire Tri-X OC R9 290 for my 3770k rig. The GPU may be a little slower, it uses a little more power, but I know it has a FULL useable 4G Vram. BTW the omega drivers work well in my rig below.

 

[Makaveli]

I'm returning my Gigabyte GTX 970 and getting a Sapphire Tri-X OC R9 290.

Seriously.

Why the change is it due to pricing or the Vram issue.

I'm honestly curious.

 

[tential]

Seriously.

Why the change is it due to pricing or the Vram issue.

I'm honestly curious.

I'd be guessing it's both. VRAM Issue is a nasty taste left in a lot of people's mouths. Pricing is just icing on the cake.

 

[ShintaiDK]

Any price cuts is because they dont sell. Not because people stand in line for them.

 

[jackstar7]

Any price cuts is because they dont sell. Not because people stand in line for them.

There are more than two possibilities.

 

[chimaxi83]

Any price cuts is because they dont sell. Not because people stand in line for them.

Can you cite your source on this? It sounds like an opinion, and your personal, biased opinion doesn't portray anyone but yourself.

 

[lavaheadache]

Jesus, I wonder if I should pick up another 290X lightning and rock those in my main rig and dump my Titan Z


Gotta love it