Following the criticism aimed at Nvidia’s RTX 50 series launch, which many deemed a “paper launch,” a wave of relief washed over consumers when AMD’s RX 9000 series became available in significantly greater quantities. However, with the initial stock expected to quickly sell out, AMD may soon experience similar pricing challenges as seen across the graphics card market: increasing prices, seemingly at every turn.
The cards officially premiered yesterday, yet many were found listed at prices well above the suggested retail price (MSRP). In some instances, overclocked models were marked up by as much as $250 over the starting price of $600. Despite AMD’s assurances of working closely with retailers to maintain availability at MSRP, early reports suggested that many of these competitively priced models disappeared rapidly, raising concerns about their return.
Notably, two major European retailers have indicated that prices for AMD’s latest GPUs will rise after the initial shipment at MSRP is exhausted. One Swedish retailer stated that the current batch of cards will be sold at the recommended price, but subsequent shipments are expected to be sold at higher rates.
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There are inconsistencies among different manufacturers; while one retailer received a single shipment of Asus and Sapphire cards, these will sell at MSRP until stock runs out. However, that same retailer has a second shipment of PowerColor cards on the way, which are already slated for price increases once the first batch is sold.
In the meantime, Overclockers UK has revealed that they have a significant number of RX 9070 XT cards available, but price hikes are inevitable. As they noted, “MSRP is capped in quantity of a few hundred, so prices will jump once those are sold through.” The future of restocks and pricing remains uncertain as the market evolves.
This situation, while frustrating for consumers, is not entirely surprising. If these pricing trends hold true across all retailers, it suggests that AMD has made an effort to offer availability at MSRP but is not committed to maintaining that for an extended period. The current GPU market is experiencing turmoil, with many new releases quickly selling out, making price increases a rather predictable outcome.
As it stands, a glance at several leading U.S. retailers confirms that AMD’s RX 9000 series launch has been largely successful, with listings already out of stock at Newegg and Amazon.
