What the heck happened? R9 290 series price increase by $100?!

[Imouto]

Can't wait for the Litecoin bubble to burst. I want to score a bargain on an R9 290

I was saying the same about Bitcoin back in mid 2012 when I checked BTC mining for a single afternoon. I mined 0.36 BTC and forgot about it. I put that computer to work again 2 days ago to find that wallet with $330 worth of BTC on it.

I was in the same wagon but now I can't laugh at them anymore. You can't cast it aside in such a simple whim. Looks like crypto currencies are here to stay and GPU mining too.

 

[Keysplayr]

I was saying the same about Bitcoin back in mid 2012 when I checked BTC mining for a single afternoon. I mined 0.36 BTC and forgot about it. I put that computer to work again 2 days ago to find that wallet with $330 worth of BTC on it.

I was in the same wagon but now I can't laugh at them anymore. You can't cast it aside in such a simple whim. Looks like crypto currencies are here to stay and GPU mining too.

It's pretty sad actually. Bitcoin mining is out of reach for GPUs, but Litecoin is still doable for now. When Litecoin difficulty becomes too steep, then another NthCoin will take it's place.

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Personally I won't do it again (Unless a ground breaking coin comes out and I can get in when the getting is good), but it will be interesting to see if Maxwell drops the 3 cycle requirement currently crippling Kepler and if that change effects some Pro Nvidia thoughts on it. Not that only pro Nvidia people aren't too keen on it, plenty of people aren't interested from all walks of life.

I'm not insinuating you Keys, only passing a thought crypto may become even more popular if the weaker side is no longer is the only side that benefits.

I think Bitcoins and ASICs are stupid, however if it is a ASIC resistant coin like LTC... Well I'm just saying it could change how much we end up paying up front for VCs, and I mean that in a bad way.

 

[monstercameron]

I find it funny that the card that the press and many here have lambasted, said it was too hot, too loud and a bunch of other FUD. It's being sold out and there are people complaining that they can't buy one...Nvidia PR couldn't have predicted this...

 

[BallaTheFeared]

Two different worlds, reviewers are focused on gaming.

 

[Will Robinson]

As AMD hold a very large performance advantage over NVDA with Cryptomining I think they should sell every damn video card they can while the going is good.
Every bit of profit helps when funding the expensive research they have to do to beat NVDA.
They have been the ones forcing down prices from the stupid $1000 and $750 cards that were becoming the norm to a far more acceptable $400 range.
This shortage won't last too long and they should pump them out as fast as they can.
Time to make hay while the sun shines.:thumbsup:
Let's see what the supply situation looks like in a month or so.

 

[Erenhardt]

Originally Posted by Imouto
I was saying the same about Bitcoin back in mid 2012 when I checked BTC mining for a single afternoon. I mined 0.36 BTC and forgot about it. I put that computer to work again 2 days ago to find that wallet with $330 worth of BTC on it.
I was in the same wagon but now I can't laugh at them anymore. You can't cast it aside in such a simple whim. Looks like crypto currencies are here to stay and GPU mining too.

It's pretty sad actually. Bitcoin mining is out of reach for GPUs, but Litecoin is still doable for now. When Litecoin difficulty becomes too steep, then another NthCoin will take it's place.

Sad? For who, Members of Nvidia Focus Group?

Couldn't help yourself, could you? Personal attacks are against the forum rules.

-Rvenger

 

[caswow]

It'll be a double edged sword, I figure.

AMD sells cards as fast as they can make them for now, which is a good thing for them. However these cards aren't being purchased for the same reasons as high-end video cards normally are, namely long term ownership for recreational/hobbyist purposes. Rather they're being purchased on a short term basis for economic reasons. Which means they're going to sell out for now, but when the economics no longer make sense these cards are going to end up being put back on the market as used cards.

So in a few months down the road (or however long this takes) not only will sales drop off significantly for AMD as miners stop buying, but any new cards will be going up against an oversaturated used card market. Those used cards will further depress new card sales for a time, making the resulting market for new cards especially soft.

Furthermore there's no guarantee those used cards will be in tip-top shape (given the fact that miners tend to overclock and overvolt their cards to squeeze out additional performance). So we could be talking about a large stockpile of outright abused cards being circulated back into the hands of gamers, which more often than not would be blamed on AMD's drivers (since drivers always get the blame for stability problems).

Which is not to say that I'm trying to be gloomy over this. But as nice as it is to sell out now, it's not in AMD's long term interests to have these cards coming back on the market as used cards. AMD needs people to sell these cards and keep them.

it will hurt both nvidia and amd.

 

[el etro]

Blame you Litecoins!!

Blame you again Litecoins!

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I wouldn't touch a used amd card with a ten foot pole. Those things have been abused to the extreme. If anyone else is smart they'd stay away as well.

 

[Ibra]

I find it funny that the card that the press and many here have lambasted, said it was too hot, too loud and a bunch of other FUD. It's being sold out and there are people complaining that they can't buy one...Nvidia PR couldn't have predicted this...

Haven't predicted what? http://virtualminingcorp.com/

Sad? For who, Members of Nvidia Focus Group?

For sad AMD Focus Group members. http://virtualminingcorp.com/

 

[rtsurfer]

I wouldn't touch a used amd card with a ten foot pole. Those things have been abused to the extreme. If anyone else is smart they'd stay away as well.

/* RANT

I too would never buy a used AMD cards in the next several months.

Because I want these miners to get stuck with all these cards they bought as due to them I will have to pay 20% more for the card that I just want to game on.

If they bought a few cards then it would have been fine, but hoarding this much cards..??

I would love to see them incur some looses in all the money they are trying to make.

Sure I might mine on the card that I buy, but that is one card, not 15 like these people are stocking up on.

END RANT */

 

[TerryMathews]

/* RANT

I too would never buy a used AMD cards in the nect several months.

Because I want these miners to get stuck with all these cards they bought as due to them I will have to pay 20% more for the card that I just want to game on.

If they bought a few cards then it would have been fine, but hoarding this much cards..??

I would love to see them incur some looses in all the money they are trying to make.

Sure I might mine on the card that I buy, but that is one card, not 15 like these people are stocking up on.

END RANT */

I dont harbor any ill will on the miners. Ive gotten some good deals in-between bubbles and I'm sure I will again. Last time I got a like new 1600W PSU for practically nothing.

 

[ultimatebob]

Do you guys REALLY think that the shortage is just being caused by Litecoins? I'm thinking that it's a combination of the following 4 things:

1) A shortage of chips from AMD
2) Christmas buying season
3) The release of Battlefield 4
4) Crypto coin miners

 

[blackened23]

Do you guys REALLY think that the shortage is just being caused by Litecoins?

It is. The 280X had so-so sales, every 280X card WAS in stock at every etailer in the US. 7970? In stock, not selling great. 7950? In stock, not selling too well. Bam, news hits that bank of America values bitcoins at 1300$ and then literally 2-3 days later, everything sold out. 7970? gone. 7950? Gone. 280X? Gone. Cards that were in stock EVERYWHERE prior to the BOA news, now gone - Not being sold to PC gamers, but to miners. On top of this, people buying cards at inflated prices of 400$+ for 280X cards, 400$ for 7950s, and 450$+ for 7970ghz? Yeah, I don't think PC gamers are stupid enough to buy at those inflated prices. But miners will buy at stupid inflated prices. It is litecoins causing the shortage.

 

[ultimatebob]

I can still see some cards available, but the price is $100 higher than it should be.

Maybe we should be speculating on AMD stock instead of cryptocoins

 

[JDG1980]

Maybe we should be speculating on AMD stock instead of cryptocoins

I'm seriously considering 100 shares of AMD stock as a short-term investment. I don't think that the Wall Street guys are currently pricing in the massive sale numbers for Tahiti and Hawaii GPUs that we have been seeing the past week.

 

[rtsurfer]

Do you guys REALLY think that the shortage is just being caused by Litecoins? I'm thinking that it's a combination of the following 4 things:

1) A shortage of chips from AMD
2) Christmas buying season
3) The release of Battlefield 4
4) Crypto coin miners

No.
It is the miners fault.

Lets look at some pictures shall we

Draw your own conclusions guys.

 

[thilanliyan]

I can't think of any bubbles that don't burst, eventually. The only thing left to wonder is, will the bubble form a small hole and deflate slowly, or will it explode in a soapy ruin? Anyways, it has to end if it's based on BS. You and countless others will rejoice with the supply of 290s when this is over.

I honestly have no idea whether it is a bubble or not at current prices, but more and more places are accepting BTC and LTC as a method of payment. And the more places that accept them, the less bubble like it is IMO.

In the end, you have video cards you can sell. I wouldn't like to be holding ASICs if it truly goes belly up.

 

[nwo]

I think Bitcoins and ASICs are stupid, however if it is a ASIC resistant coin like LTC... Well I'm just saying it could change how much we end up paying up front for VCs, and I mean that in a bad way.

That is what I have heard. However, I have seen a website that is developing ASICs for LTC

Do you guys REALLY think that the shortage is just being caused by Litecoins? I'm thinking that it's a combination of the following 4 things:

1) A shortage of chips from AMD
2) Christmas buying season
3) The release of Battlefield 4
4) Crypto coin miners

I don't think that AMD has a shortage of the chips. It's only a shortage because of the insane demand spike and because of the transition from 7 series to R9. 7 series cards are no longer produced and the reason for the shortage to R9 series (imo) is because some of the cards (290/290x) run way too hot and reference coolers are being phased out while manufacturers are designing and implementing their own.

 

[nwo]

Do you guys REALLY think that the shortage is just being caused by Litecoins? I'm thinking that it's a combination of the following 4 things:

1) A shortage of chips from AMD
2) Christmas buying season
3) The release of Battlefield 4
4) Crypto coin miners

I don't think that AMD has a shortage of the chips. It's only a shortage because of the insane demand spike and because of the transition from 7 series to R9. 7 series cards are no longer produced and the reason for the shortage to R9 series (imo) is because some of the cards (290/290x) run way too hot and reference coolers are being phased out.

 

[Sohaltang]

Do you guys REALLY think that the shortage is just being caused by Litecoins? I'm thinking that it's a combination of the following 4 things:

1) A shortage of chips from AMD
2) Christmas buying season
3) The release of Battlefield 4
4) Crypto coin miners

4 and 1. I dont see any shortages of Nvidia cards

 

[ultimatebob]

4 and 1. I dont see any shortages of Nvidia cards

Well... it doesn't help that NVidia cards kinda suck for cryptocoin mining.

On the bright side, I'm going to be able to get myself some cheap video cards when the either the price of Litecoin crashes, or the mining difficulty becomes too high to make a profit from it.

 

[battletoad]

Spend $2000 on cards to make $1800 over the next 5 years mining. That's what happened.

No one knows where LTC difficulty or price will be in the future, but chances are good that buying mining equipment even this late in the game will still be profitable, and not take even a year to do it.

For Example, I bought 6 7950s and assorted hardware and paid $2000 for it in mid April of this year, well past what was then thought of as the "early period" to get in good on mining.

I sold a meager 700 LTC (again going by early mining standards) for over $30,000. I even gamed on two of the cards frequently, as they were not dedicated to 24/7 mining.

I still have about $3,000 worth of coins now, and I could sell all of my hardware today for more than I paid for it, and I can still make around $60 per day at current difficulty/prices if I sell immediately and I don't hold out for better prices down the line.

It might take someone investing in mining equipment 6 months or more to break even, maybe longer. But to say 5 years is a pretty big leap.

 

[MrK6]

Well... it doesn't help that NVidia cards kinda suck for cryptocoin mining.

On the bright side, I'm going to be able to get myself some cheap video cards when the either the price of Litecoin crashes, or the mining difficulty becomes too high to make a profit from it.

You'll need an ASIC to supplant AMD cards for scrypt mining before prices will drop. Last I read that's still in early development.

No one knows where LTC difficulty or price will be in the future, but chances are good that buying mining equipment even this late in the game will still be profitable, and not take even a year to do it.

For Example, I bought 6 7950s and assorted hardware and paid $2000 for it in mid April of this year, well past what was then thought of as the "early period" to get in good on mining.

I sold a meager 700 LTC (again going by early mining standards) for over $30,000. I even gamed on two of the cards frequently, as they were not dedicated to 24/7 mining.

I still have about $3,000 worth of coins now, and I could sell all of my hardware today for more than I paid for it, and I can still make around $60 per day at current difficulty/prices if I sell immediately and I don't hold out for better prices down the line.

It might take someone investing in mining equipment 6 months or more to break even, maybe longer. But to say 5 years is a pretty big leap.

Great post, shows you actually understand cryptocurrencies and mining in general. I think some of you in this thread should read and re-read this post as it explains the fundamentals that some of you are missing.