Nvidia "unlaunches" RTX 4080 12GB, trials RTX 4090 priority access program

[Daniel Sims]

What just happened? As much as the RTX 4090 costs, it's already sold out and listing at a significant markup on eBay. So, Nvidia is testing a new reservation system to help customers who have an interest in and the money for its latest flagship GPU. The company is also rethinking the launch of its current lowest-tier 40 series model.

An Nvidia staff member confirmed this week that the company is trying out a program to connect a certain number of players and content creators directly to RTX 4090 purchasing options. Nvidia could use the idea to smoothen future product launches if it works well.

The trial – called "Verified Priority Access," – will notify certain users through Nvidia's GeForce Experience app. The notifications contain unique URLs leading to reserved 4090 Founders Editions at third-party retailers depending on the region. For now, the program works through Best Buy in the United States, Scan in the UK, NBB in Germany and the Netherlands, and LDLC in France, Italy, and Spain.

Verified Priority Access sounds similar to EVGA's Elite Priority Access program, which lets EVGA membership program members order new hardware a day earlier than other customers. However, while EVGA's guarantee goes to customers who purchase certain hardware from its store or interact with its community, Nvidia seems to have no prerequisite for its program other than downloading GeForce Experience.

An early access order guarantee could be a new ploy to convince Nvidia GPU users to download GeForce Experience, which some have railed against. The app is useful for easily downloading the latest graphics drivers but requires a login, which many users find unnecessary for that simple function.

For now, users who don't want to wait on a reservation system may have to contend with eBay inflation, which is already adding over $1,000 to the 4090's $1,600 MSRP. Most listings on the site range from around $2,200 to $2,800, but some are over $4,000. According to PC Mag, even in today's post-crypto mining market, at least dozens of customers have already paid those prices.

Meanwhile, this week Nvidia also announced it's "unlaunching" the 12GB RTX 4080 due to a name the company called confusing. Nvidia unveiled the 4000 series with the 4090 along with 16GB and 12GB 4080 variants, but VRAM isn't the only difference between the two. Different CUDA core counts led many to accuse the 12GB 4080 of being a $900 4070 in disguise, suggesting an 80 percent price increase from the 3070, which launched at $500 in 2020.

The 4080 models' $900 and $1,200 MSRPs – a massive increase over the 3080's $700 launch price – are arguably the most controversial aspect of the 40 series launch. Nvidia boss Jensen Huang justified the hike by declaring Moore's Law dead, as he previously did multiple times. It's difficult to say how much longer we can expect price decreases to accompany die shrinks, but one sign this year may be how AMD prices the rival RDNA 3 GPUs when they launch in November and how Nvidia responds.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/96327-nvidia-trials-4090-priority-access-program-unlaunches-12gb.html

 

[Eldritch]

Artificial scarcity is being created here. Across the globe 4090 is available in large numbers. In the USA, to create demand through panic this fake scarcity is being created.

 

[m4a4]

Well, at least they're trying something (even if it's more effective as a PR move for now).

And good. "Unlaunching" was the right move. I wish other tech companies weren't so proud to do stuff like this too...

 

[takaozo]

Neah they took some punches from media and rollback the launch.
It was also cannibalizing the 3090ti and 3090.
Prepare for 4070 at $899 or 4060 at $799 from the same card just rebranded.

 

[GettCouped]

Well, at least they're trying something (even if it's more effective as a PR move for now).

And good. "Unlaunching" was the right move. I wish other tech companies weren't so proud to do stuff like this too...

Let's not say that NVidia did the right thing in any way with this. This was perception in a tremendous downward spiral that they had no choice but to pull out of this absolutely anti-consumer marketing cash grab.

 

[rmcrys]

I won't buy any cards from Nvidia soon, the company shows that they will go all means to achieve more money. I'm no desperate to play games so that I pay such amount of money just for a gpu, the same goes for a game console (799€ where I live for a PS5).

 

[NicktheWVAHick]

The 4090 is so absurdly large it won’t even fit into my current tower case. To own one, I would have to upgrade everything else which would cost me a minimum of $1000 or more. There’s no way I’m paying for that PLUS an inflated EBay price. For once in my life I can actually say I’m perfectly happy with what I have right now …. 3090, 12900K, 64Gb. And with near double-digit inflation, an ongoing recession (yes, we are in one no matter how the media and Dems try to spin it) and a near 30% loss in my portfolio, I think I’ll let the millionaires and billionaires enjoy this little gem from NVIDIA.

 

[m3tavision]

I think I told everyone here, this exact thing was going to happen.

Monolithic means pricey and not high yields so many cut-downs and lower tier brand offs. Nvidia was trying to brand the AD104 (to gamers) faster than the GA102. There was no way NVidia wanted it to be visibly seen, that the RTX 4070 is no faster than the RTX3090 and is selling for $950 on NewEgg, (with the 90ti's for only a hundred more.)

Meanwhile, the the venerable 6900xt is going for $669 at Newegg... SO what muffin top would ever buy a $900 RTX4070 when the 6900xt exist at under $700..?


Next?
NVidia just fumbled and now I believe AMD is going to pick the ball up... & run in for a touchtown.

AMD has been hard at work on RDNA and giving gaming an efficient platform, entirely engineering strictly for gaming, with an entirely new RDNA driver stack written from the ground up... and all comes together under three NAVI-30 RDNA3 dies. Efficiency is key to everyone, even those people who don't know it..


That said, NVidia is going to have to compete on open raster and raw performance, not proprietary marketing this time. AMD's RDNA architecture IS the Gaming Industry standard. Handhelds, Consoles and older GTX card, AMD Cards all support the FSR and other Industry standards and game-level features (DX12 U, etc)

AMD has taken over the gaming scene as NV tried to leverage enterprise hardware, for gaming. It's just that Dr Su understood that formula and undercut them with gaming specific dies that are uber efficient & will be in everything within the next 2-3 years. Easy to say, that nearly every "Big Game" being developed today, is being designed to work on RDNA... and have PlayStation 5 & XSX as a primary sales focus. Nobody who games on the new consoles will know or care about dlss.

betamax got destroyed by VHS

 

[Geralt]

The 4080 12GB scam was too much. Now they need to reduce the MSRPs 500 dollars to return to normality. The prices on ebay are just a joke for fools (there is plenty of them).

 

[m4a4]

Let's not say that NVidia did the right thing in any way with this. This was perception in a tremendous downward spiral that they had no choice but to pull out of this absolutely anti-consumer marketing cash grab.

...And then they did the right move by unlaunching it. Other companies would've kept quiet or doubled down on the cash grab.

So yes, lets say "good job Nvidia, don't do it again"......

 

[m4a4]

The 4090 is so absurdly large it won’t even fit into my current tower case. To own one, I would have to upgrade everything else which would cost me a minimum of $1000 or more. There’s no way I’m paying for that PLUS an inflated EBay price. For once in my life I can actually say I’m perfectly happy with what I have right now …. 3090, 12900K, 64Gb. And with near double-digit inflation, an ongoing recession (yes, we are in one no matter how the media and Dems try to spin it) and a near 30% loss in my portfolio, I think I’ll let the millionaires and billionaires enjoy this little gem from NVIDIA.

To be fair, they aren't marketing the 4090 to average gamers (most of us). They go profit first (which isn't surprising).

 

[0dium]

"It's difficult to say how much longer we can expect price decreases to accompany die shrinks"
I didn't get this part. Only prince increases are accompanying die shrinks

 

[EdmondRC]

Wow, I knew they would pull this card, but I thought they'd do it next year before releasing the 4070. Not before if launched. I expect the launch price for 4080 16gb to be reduced too. Even Nvidia employees were rolling their eyes at the announced prices, AIBs are probably worried too. You can't price out most of your market and still make money. My guess is $999 which is still too much. But it would say least be in the right direction.

 

[Revolution 11]

I won't buy any cards from Nvidia soon, the company shows that they will go all means to achieve more money. I'm no desperate to play games so that I pay such amount of money just for a gpu, the same goes for a game console (799€ where I live for a PS5).

I would never exclude any company from my buying choice just because they are greedy. Nvidia still remains on my list of GPU considerations.

Having said that, the value is still as bad as it has ever been. I guess Lovelace will not be my GPU choice, just like all the other Nvidia generations.

 

[Arcmanov]

Interesting development.
We might be getting a 4070 Ti for maybe $799?

 

[hahahanoobs]

Let's not say that NVidia did the right thing in any way with this. This was perception in a tremendous downward spiral that they had no choice but to pull out of this absolutely anti-consumer marketing cash grab.

So like AMD trying to lock Zen 3 to 500 series boards?
But didn't AMD get praise for that reversal after the backlash from the community?

 

[brucek]

In some sense last gen demand was infinite as long as each card could reliably be net positive income via bitcoin.

With that being much less true right now, here's hoping the 4090 scalpers get stuck with a lot of expensive cards they can't sell at full retail.

A fresh wave of inventory at $100 less MSRP would send the right message to these scalpers.

And re: Best Buy, who apparently was willing to sell dozens of cards to a single bottler (who then bragged about it in a discord channel including showing all the email receipts), I hope someone at Nvidia is reviewing what value if any Best Buy is bringing to them as a retailer partner. We know Nvidia is not above selling in bulk direct, but why cut a middle man in on it.

 

[kiwigraeme]

I think Nvidia is trying to milk the whales as often as possible - How many whales are there .
Even people who buy latest iPhone and Samsung phones are staggering their purchases .
Remember lots of RTX1080 plus holders various variants happily gloating about holding their cards so long - and great value over time.
Nvidia , AMD have a telling coming next year - what to do? - Intel will be happy to flood market with cheap cards .
Will Nvidia try and bundle excess stock to likes of Dell , Alienware etc
Definitely see deals next year get a discount and 2 AAA games etc
Plus given speed of GPU advancement - if you are happy at moment - just wait for 5060 midrange etc - they are going to be powerful cards .

These GPU manufacturer have a well known problem - airline seats , hotel rooms , concert tickets - how to get the right amount for each sector of the market .
You as a consumer have battle these with knowledge how to get a AAA car rental - for the y ( economy price ) .
My advice play a waiting game .

So you brought a 3090ti for $2000 do you really want to admit a $1000 loss in 1 year by buying a 4090 now

 

[scavengerspc]

I'm building the first desktop for myself in 17 years.
I wish AMD would hurry with their 7000 series GPU's.
For me, nobody else makes video cards.

Right now, anyone that doesn't get a 6950XT (for non RT) for $875, or
a 6900XT for $650-$700 is either on a bad trip or in to self-abuse.

 

[yannus]

It wouldn't surprise me if a company that would want customers to think that their product is selling extremely well, would "pre-buy" their own products in order to sell them on ebay with an additional huge margin. Would be an interesting strategy.

 

[Last1Standing]

...And then they did the right move by unlaunching it. Other companies would've kept quiet or doubled down on the cash grab.

So yes, lets say "good job Nvidia, don't do it again"......

Because NVIDIA's was extremely FORCED to. For last week, NVIDIA's investors were selling their shares (abandoned ship) like mad.

 

[takaozo]

For the last 6 months Intel, Amd,Apple,Dell, Samsung and Nvidia stocks are falling.
It's the global response to current market conditions.
Nvidia before pandemic and mining craze was $60 (dec. 2019) and now it's $112. With a max of $329 in Nov. 2021.
It's bad but not as bad as for Boeing or Airbus when Covid started.

 

[Geralt]

In Moscow, through the grey market, you can buy a Gigabyte 4090 Windforce for 2500 dollars. No thanks

 

[Last1Standing]

For the last 6 months Intel, Amd,Apple,Dell, Samsung and Nvidia stocks are falling.
It's the global response to current market conditions.
Nvidia before pandemic and mining craze was $60 (dec. 2019) and now it's $112. With a max of $329 in Nov. 2021.
It's bad but not as bad as for Boeing or Airbus when Covid started.

The current market conditions response is from these price-gouges clowns (except for Apple, they mostly stay balanced with its pricing), so, it's tiring to read/hear everyone saying its because of inflation but its the big juggernauts that CONTROLS these MSRP tag labels!

 

[takaozo]

In Moscow, through the grey market, you can buy a Gigabyte 4090 Windforce for 2500 dollars. No thanks

The price is good considering the embargo.
Same model here in east Europe is $2000+VAT=$2400