PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Chip maker AMD must come up with something new to compete with Nvidia’s popular 970 and 980 graphics cards, says MD of performance system builder YoYoTech.
Responding to yesterday’s news that Nvidia has introduced two new GeForce GTX 970M and GeForce GTX 980M notebook GPUs, CK said: "The mobile GPUs look very good – it’s a great opportunity for the gamers. We’re looking to stock some of the new laptops from MSI.
"I’ve seen the desktop 970s and 980s and they are absolutely awesome. I think it’s a good move from Nvidia because they launched it quickly, reacted fast and moved it quickly onto the mobile market as well.
"AMD needs to buckle up. They need to come up with something, otherwise this Christmas belongs to Nvidia.
However, PCR understands that Nvidia’s new 970 and 980 cards have proved so popular, that supply is short within the UK market.
"I think Nvidia probably didn’t envisage they would do that well, maybe," added CK. "There isn’t enough stock in the channel, but if Nvidia sorts that part out, it will be hell for AMD.
"I think the launch is the right time. People will buy these cards to go with the new X99 Intel chipset and that is highly expensive. Expensive boards, expensive CPU and expensive memory because it’s DDR4. So I think Nvidia has been very clever. So that customer will definitely go for those graphics cards and that’s what we’re selling.
"I expect AMD to respond but I don’t know what they will respond with. I don’t know if they have anything new in their pocket at the moment to take out, unless they surprise us. Let’s wait and see. But they definitely need to do something. If Nvidia can buckle up on supply, it will be a really hard time for AMD."
Ebuyer’s Paul Nolan added: "AMD will need to review their strategy on R9 280 and above if they want to compete with Nvidia’s latest offerings, especially as we go into the busiest time of the year on the run-up to Christmas."
An AMD spokesperson told PCR: "There is currently a channel promotion being managed by our AIB partners that enables pricing of the R9 290X starting at $369 and the R9 290 starting at $299."
AMD also said its Mantle API and game bundles make its cards better value than Nvidia’s.
PCR has contacted Nvidia for clarification on stock shortages.
