Watch this: crushes and queues as gamers struggle to grab new Nvidia RTX cards

[midian182]

WTF?! Remember people panic buying toilet paper and hand sanitizer during the height of the pandemic? That all pales in comparison to the chaos that comes with securing a new graphics card from a physical outlet these days.

We all know the availability problems of graphics cards, the result of pandemic-induced unprecedented demand, cryptominers, and scalpers. It means that on those rare occasions when there is stock in retail stores, people turn up en masse and swamp the place, as illustrated in the video above.

The clip, from PrestonALewis (via Kotaku), is shot at a Micro Center store in Dallas as people wait for it to open so they can grab the restocked Nvidia cards. A staff member informs the waiting mob they can only buy one card per household and, probably unwisely, confirms there isn’t enough stock for everyone. At the video’s 3:55 mark, the doors open and all hell breaks loose, previous warnings that anyone caught running or pushing will be ejected seemingly ignored, much like the “please practice social distancing” signs.

There’s been plenty of criticism aimed at Nvidia for releasing the RTX 3080 Ti at a time when it should be trying to address the current shortage issues. There’s also that $1,200 MSRP, though it’s obviously going to be selling at a much higher price point. Nevertheless, people queued up around the block for hours at Best Buy to secure one on launch day.

Waiting for a RTX 3080 TI at Best Buy pic.twitter.com/GrNsMoQOk3

— JSCarnage (@JSCarnageTV) June 3, 2021

This is all good news for a semiconductor industry experiencing record revenue—as are Nvidia and AMD—and we can expect to keep seeing these scenes until next year, when the situation is expected to improve.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/89938-crushes-queues-gamers-struggle-grab-nvidia-rtx-cards.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

There were over 100 people on line at Microcenter Flushing.

There were around 50 on line at Microcenter Westbury.

Some had been camping out since Monday, in wait for Thursday morning’s 10 AM open.

Less than 30 cards were available at either store.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

It’s actually amazing how much power a credit card actually gives you nowadays.

If you bought one of these cards, after paying off your bill to avoid interest, you could easily sell it right now for more than it cost.

I paid $1955 with tax for both my 3090 FTW3 I know I could get $2500 used easily.

 

[Irata]

Sadly the people who fall for this don‘t realize that they are setting the stage for continued high prices.

I can understand that if someone‘s current GPU failed and they are stuck with nothing would be a reason to put up with this. But otherwise....nope, not if it‘s for a hobby.

 

[Geralt]

High prices are becoming a bad habit. Not good.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Won't see an AMD line like this for a while....

 

[hahahanoobs]

High prices are becoming a bad habit. Not good.

Prices fluctuate, yes.
This is not news in the gaming market.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

High prices are becoming a bad habit. Not good.

The High Prices are resultant of unprecedented demand:
CryptoPonzi Scheme Miners, Scalpers intent to sell to miners, Gamers, gamers who think they can turn a profit scalping and multi million dollar organizations who believe they can scalp to earn profit.

I'm just a boi with a credit card tho.

 

[Proposition Joe]

The High Prices are resultant of unprecedented demand:
CryptoPonzi Scheme Miners, Scalpers intent to sell to miners, Gamers, gamers who think they can turn a profit scalping and multi million dollar organizations who believe they can scalp to earn profit.

I'm just a boi with a credit card tho.

"CryptoPonzi Scheme Miners" how is Ethereum a ponzi scheme? do you even know what you're taking about?

 

[QuantumPhysics]

"CryptoPonzi Scheme Miners" how is Ethereum a ponzi scheme? do you even know what you're taking about?

Yes: All Crypto currency is a ponzi scheme.

 

[Kosmoz]

3090 Jensen Scalper Edition 2020
3080Ti Jensen Scalper Edition 2021

Fools got fooled by nvidia with the 3090 and now another batch of fools are falling for the same BS with 3080Ti = less than 10% more performance for exponentially more money.

3090 at $1500 is a dumb value. $1200 was a dumb value for 2080Ti two years ago and still is for the 3080Ti now, yet people justify this as a "great" price because of even more *****ic prices above MSRP.

Comparing two bad things, if one is worse than the other, does not mean the lesser bad thing is a good thing, that's not how reason works. But who needs logic and reason these days...

Jensen is rolling on the floor laughing in piles of $$$ in his kitchen. GJ Jensen, you're the mater BS-ter in tech.

 

[Geralt]

Prices fluctuate, yes.
This is not news in the gaming market.

I understand natural fluctuations, but this... I never saw something like this in my 27 years as a gamer. In 1998, for example, I paid 480 dollars for my Monster 2. And this year I paid 2000 dollars for my 6900xt (around the price of two IPhone's). Too much. And GeForce's here are even more expensive than Radeons. It's about playing games, not about creating the vaccine against cancer.

 

[hahahanoobs]

I understand natural fluctuations, but this... I never saw something like this in my 27 years as a gamer. In 1998, for example, I paid 480 dollars for my Monster 2. And this year I paid 2000 dollars for my 6900xt (around the price of two IPhone's). Too much. And GeForce's here are even more expensive than Radeons. It's about playing games, not about creating the vaccine against cancer.

And my friend paid $1500CAD for a 3080.
Difference being he doesn't constantly whine about it.

Buy it or don't. It's literally that simple.

 

[terzaerian]

"CryptoPonzi Scheme Miners" how is Ethereum a ponzi scheme? do you even know what you're taking about?

Don't feed the trolls.

Won't see an AMD line like this for a while....

It's just as hard if not harder to get an AMD card, believe me.

 

[Geralt]

And my friend paid $1500CAD for a 3080.
Difference being he doesn't constantly whine about it.

Buy it or don't. It's literally that simple.

That's fascism. All by force. Everything or nothing. I don't follow that line of thought, sorry.

 

[sreams]

The problem in this specific case seems obvious. Microcenter staff made a terrible choice when it decided to keep people entirely away from the store until a set time. That line should have been forming along the wall from the moment the first person arrived. Microcenter created a situation where a stampede was inevitable.

 

[sreams]

That's fascism. All by force. Everything or nothing. I don't follow that line of thought, sorry.

I hate what is happening... but you might want to look up the definition of fascism.

 

[Geralt]

I hate what is happening... but you might want to look up the definition of fascism.

His attitude is fascist.

 

[QuantumPhysics]

That's fascism. All by force. Everything or nothing. I don't follow that line of thought, sorry.

Fascism has nothing to do with inflated pricing / Supply & demand / Take it or leave it.

While Fascism can be linked to radical corporatism, this is absolutely not that.

 

[wiyosaya]

I understand natural fluctuations, but this... I never saw something like this in my 27 years as a gamer. In 1998, for example, I paid 480 dollars for my Monster 2. And this year I paid 2000 dollars for my 6900xt (around the price of two IPhone's). Too much. And GeForce's here are even more expensive than Radeons. It's about playing games, not about creating the vaccine against cancer.

Actually, if its an Nvidia card, it could be about creating a vaccine/cure against cancer. https://www.gpugrid.net/ That's way too much money for me, though.

 

[Geralt]

Fascism has nothing to do with inflated pricing / Supply & demand / Take it or leave it.

While Fascism can be linked to radical corporatism, this is absolutely not that.

No, I was referring to hahahanoobs' fascist attitude. I cannot even complain, and I have to accept the situation without protesting. This is fascism.

 

[sreams]

His attitude is fascist.

His attitude is "buy it or don't". In other words, you are free to purchase or not purchase an item whose price was set by the market. Exactly zero fascist content/attitude.

 

[duckofdeath]

"CryptoPonzi Scheme Miners" how is Ethereum a ponzi scheme? do you even know what you're taking about?

The premises isn't far off a ponzi scheme. No matter what day you consider jumping onboard, it's a gamble on the price going up and there is a lot of indications that it's at risk going down a lot, with talks about bans and regulation everywhere.

 

[Geralt]

His attitude is "buy it or don't". In other words, you are free to purchase or not purchase an item whose price was set by the market. Exactly zero fascist content/attitude.

He said: No whining.
Fascism is about controlling the behavior of others, eliminating all protests.

 

[Devid Maan]

Too High price.