Q4 Techstravaganza

While the rapid fire progression and availability of cutting edge technology occurring over the coming weeks and months would normally provide an uptick for the adoption of new solutions, we’re expecting the global recessionary conditions to mute the excitement around the all-new products coming from AMD, nVidia, and Intel over the coming weeks. Although early adopters may provide an initial surge in demand, the long-term prospects may be muted depending on further market conditions. The loss of eVGA as a purveyor of nVidia-powered adapters, which was initially reported on by JayzTwoCents and Gamers Nexus, will leave a hole in the market which may not provide the boost to competing manufacturers based on the pricing and specs announced by nVidia. The availability of independent reviews and benchmark data will certainly show improvements over the currently-available RTX 30-series of products. However, the glut of used products that will flood the market due to crypto winter may have a knock-on effect for individuals who are upgrading and selling their current GPUs into an already crowded market.

At this point in time, availability of nVidia and AMD GPUs has reached the point where new devices are selling below MSRP. The prior top of AMD’s stack, the Radeon RX 6900 XT, can be had for $699 USD. For Team Green, nVidia’s top-of-the-line RTX 3090 Ti has been seen for $1,000 USD under the MSRP. The upper-level models are going to have a hard time moving off of shelves when the replacement products are offering more performance at a similar price point. Conversely, waiting too long may result in missing out on some genuine deals. While the “new hotness” may be at the bleeding edge of performance, the money saved by pulling the trigger during Q4 on the outgoing models will be substantial.

Processors are another area where savings have been found. Poor Intel is STILL trying to burn down the excessive inventory on the 10th and 11th Generation Core series while maintaining decent price points for the 12th Generation Core series. If the rumors of 13th Generation Core availability come to fruition next month, the company is going to have to do “something” with silicon that nobody wants at this point. The team at Intel has their work cut out for them as they continue to undo the damage from the Krzanich and Swan eras at the company. The repeatedly delayed Intel A7X0 GPU launch for the mainstream gaming market will most likely be competing against the next generation of product from competitors. Repeated rumors of the driver challenges, caveats for legacy DirectX APIs, and the absence of definition around what Intel meant when they said “Very Soon” may result in a solution in search of a market. If these products do not become generally available by end of year, the expectation is that they’ll ultimately be sold at cost (or below) due to the lack of being competitive with alternative options.