AMD announces Never Settle Reloaded bundle

[Zanovar]

Agreed! The original never settle bundle was awesome and nVidia offered an impressive bundle as well -- Amd is raising the bundle bar and hopefully nVidia counters.

What's not to like?

I think it is awesome - especially the X-fire bundle.

hear, hear!

 

[Aristotelian]

Where do you get the idea that anyone is upset over the free game bundle other than a few AMD fans saying so? Free games are great for us consumers. So, I don't see anyone unhappy about that.

Perhaps because you can only cast this in a negative light, and your pessimism in the face of what you (now) call a great deal for consumers (and something Nvidia does also) just shows your angle - I'll highlight it below, thanks for a post of more than a few words to digest.

No. What this is, or what it appears to be is a death throw. One of the first. That is why these people are deflecting the issue into getting people to think we're upset about a bundle. Don't fall for that. It don't make sense for anyone to new upset about a bundle.

No, you are the one who is deflecting because instead of recognising the great value this offer represents, you're only here to preach negativity.

It DOES make sense to see the desperation in this move to get their products off shelves.

You're reducing 'gaming bundle' to 'product moving' and that's far too simplistic. There are plenty of reasons to do this: hint, Nvidia does so, too. If you think that Nvidia's products are so successful and that they aren't in the throes of death, why do they bundle games too?

So, no matter what Aristotlean or 3DVagabond say, nobody is upset about the bundle itself, but upset its necessary to move AMD product. Or at least feel that way after looking at numbers sontin presents.

P.S. I'm not preaching doom and gloom. I just have zero faith in anything AMD does. Zip.

You have zero faith in AMD because that is your M.O. There are people on this forum whom in one upgrade cycle have spent more on AMD video cards than you have in your lifetime; ever note that they aren't the ones lacking in faith?

At the end of the day, a good gaming bundle coupled with competitive video cards is a win for consumers, but keep trying to rain on this parade by saying 'omg the company is going down!' because that's the only strategy you can employ now to try to discourage people from buying AMD cards.

The long and short of it is this: whatever adjective you want to use to describe the motivation behind your posts, you have one objective here - to try to undermine a snowballing positive interpretation of this gaming bundle. But to quote your own words, modified just for you: "So, no matter what a Focus Group member says, this is a great deal for consumers, have at it."

 

[SirPauly]

What this is, or what it appears to be is a death throw.

Imho,

Trying to create more awareness to sell sku's but also more awareness to gaming evolved as a commitment to gamers and PC gamers.

 

[Rvenger]

Not to mention the recent support AMD has been giving its customers on driver issues etc. Thracks over at OCN is a perfect example for this. Yeah, this is a real act of desperation.

 

[Grooveriding]

If I could find a 7950 for $250 I would upgrade the 7850 I have in a machine for the two games. Would work out to $150 for me as I will wind up buying both those games anyway.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Where do you get the idea that anyone is upset over the free game bundle other than a few AMD fans saying so? Free games are great for us consumers. So, I don't see anyone unhappy about that.
No. What this is, or what it appears to be is a death throw. One of the first. That is why these people are deflecting the issue into getting people to think we're upset about a bundle. Don't fall for that. It don't make sense for anyone to new upset about a bundle.
It DOES make sense to see the desperation in this move to get their products off shelves.
So, no matter what Aristotlean or 3DVagabond say, nobody is upset about the bundle itself, but upset its necessary to move AMD product. Or at least feel that way after looking at numbers sontin presents.

P.S. I'm not preaching doom and gloom. I just have zero faith in anything AMD does. Zip.

God you are so cute.

 

[railven]

Ask yourself, how much are these games worth? This reminds me of the BL2 bundle misconception.

Guys, these games aren't worth $60. Hot PC games don't sell for $60. BL2 was going for $40 the week before it launched. Hitman Absolution I got for $25 2 weeks after it launched. Bioshock Infinite is probably going to go on sale for $40-45 within the week of launch and probably for less a week or two after. DMC was posted for $37.50 3 days before launch.

Any PC gamer paying $60 for a PC game that isn't Skyrim or Call of Duty should just stick to console gaming.

These games are going to get discounted, then you factor in whatever means of distribution costs. If AMD is offering $20-30 per license, I think the publishers would take it and consider it a good deal.

Tomb Raider is going for 10% of you pre-order right now. Farcry 3 already dipped into the $40s, Hitman <$30s, what else is being bundled? Oh Sleeping Dogs I got for like $4 after a Steam error but when fixed it was going for $13.

 

[Final8ty]

 

[chimaxi83]

Lol, you Nvidia people are so adorable. Anything AMD does better than Nvidia, you put it down, you cry about, flame about, turn into meaning other things... It's hilarious.

It would be better if you get charged absolute full retail (which anyone who buys Nvidia should be used to) with zero bundles, right? You guys are great. :thumbsdown:

 

[Rvenger]

Yep, AMD is paying for developer relations. /sarcasm.

 

[sontin]

Oh right, Crytek detected only 12 months after the release of the 7970 that GCN exists.

That is exactly the payment programm i talked about: Give money to EA and you get the advertising right. But it sounds much better to claim a "development partnership".

 

[Final8ty]

Yep, AMD is paying for developer relations. /sarcasm.

Just ignore the usual suspects, you know when AMD is really doing something right for the consumer when they try too turn every positive aspect for the consumer into a native.

Peace \./

 

[Grooveriding]

Anybody own either of these cards ? I've heard some of the custom 7970s and 7950s do not have voltage control. I'm almost certain the MSI does, but not sure about the Gigabyte.

MSI : http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814127667

Gigabyte : http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814125414

 

[blackened23]

Oh right, Crytek detected only 12 months after the release of the 7970 that GCN exists.

That is exactly the payment programm i talked about: Give money to EA and you get the advertising right. But it sounds much better to claim a "development partnership".

I understand some of your points, but this? Nvidia did the very same thing with TWIMTBP. They paid for the right to have exclusive games with EA among others. No offense, but bringing this point up is hypocritical. Nvidia can and has done the same thing for years.

Aside from that - how does this affect users? All the end-user cares about is the product, the games, and the experience. They don't care about the contracts and the business side of the industry involved; I don't think anyone looks up financial reports and copies of contracts from thesmoking gun prior to making a purchase. Gimme a break. Maybe AMD should also bundle financial reports and copies of all contracts with developers (with their GPUs) since it's so so important, apparently buyers care about this more than anything.

Again, no matter what brand preference you have, this is good for everyone. This may prompt nvidia to re-up their games bundles which expired several months ago; I don't see why some are so offended by AMD offering free games.

 

[thilanliyan]

Anybody own either of these cards ? I've heard some of the custom 7970s and 7950s do not have voltage control. I'm almost certain the MSI does, but not sure about the Gigabyte.

MSI : http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814127667

Gigabyte : http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product...82E16814125414

Someone was saying that the new Windforce models are volt locked.

It does say this in the product brief for the MSI model:
"MSI Afterburner overclocking utility
- Supports overvoltage function
- Supports advanced fan speed control.
- Supports burn-in stability test. "

Not sure if they are just advertising the program there, or capability of the card with the program.

My bet would be on the MSI model for overvolting.

 

[Firestorm007]

Lol, you Nvidia people are so adorable. Anything AMD does better than Nvidia, you put it down, you cry about, flame about, turn into meaning other things... It's hilarious.

It would be better if you get charged absolute full retail (which anyone who buys Nvidia should be used to) with zero bundles, right? You guys are great. :thumbsdown:

I feel bad for "you know who" LOL.. It's actually pretty pathetic now. How can you see any negative light in AMD offering an awesome bundle like this? I can't; but hey, I'm not paid off.

 

[Phynaz]

You see these ridiculous "business moves" because they do not have any other options. They have no new technology to overtake anything out there now, and to even move one of their products off the shelves, will give away money to make it happen.

Awesome thread crap dude.

I can't wait for Nvidia to match this with their own "ridiculous" bundle.

 

[Ibra]

Another JF-AMD?

Typical AMD spreading their advertising in third party forums.

 

[railven]

Aside from that - how does this affect users? All the end-user cares about is the product, the games, and the experience. They don't care about the contracts and the business side of the industry involved; I don't think anyone looks up financial reports and copies of contracts from thesmoking gun prior to making a purchase. Gimme a break. Maybe AMD should also bundle financial reports and copies of all contracts with developers (with their GPUs) since it's so so important, apparently buyers care about this more than anything.

Haha, this! I've been saying it for years, when I buy my GPU I don't measure the die size, count the transistors, and ask for a cost of manufacturing break down.

If these products (EOL or not) are appealing to consumers, for the price + the bundle - how can any CONSUMER complain?

 

[chimaxi83]

These people bring up the business related stuff because that's the only thing that's making their favorite company look better than AMD right now, even though 99.999% of discrete GPU buyers don't care. Come on, they need something to latch onto until the new cards come out.

 

[Olikan]

Another JF-AMD?

Typical AMD spreading their advertising in third party forums.

not really....this guy is more about receiving feedback from the driver team

...you know, why have spend in beta testers, when there is hundreds in a forum to do that to you

 

[Rvenger]

Another JF-AMD?

Typical AMD spreading their advertising in third party forums.

This guy doesn't spread garbage across the forum so I would say no to him being like JF.

 

[RussianSensation]

Still waiting for either of you to present any figures that show this is a bad business deal.

They won't. They wish NV offered the same deals. I don't recall Keys criticizing the AC3 bundle with the GTX650Ti, despite stating how much "value" that card offered over the 35% faster HD7850.

Instead of looking at it from a positive point of view to gamers getting more for less and automatically assuming that AMD is losing even more $ over this, they paint AMD offering more value negatively. That's expected since AMD's already class leading price/performance and overclocking makes all NV cards even more overpriced.

Many companies would wish to have brand loyal consumers like Apple or Nvidia. Others have to deliver more features or lower price to be entice consumers to switch brands. Many companies in the grocery, fashion, automotive industry deliver more for less.

The irony is the same people criticized AMD's inability to deliver high-end flagship performance with HD4000-6000, claiming they are a budget brand and we need more competition on the high-end. Then AMD released HD7970 and raised prices, they criticized that too. Now that AMD is delivering more performance, enthusiast overclocking feature and free games, you'd have to be completely NV-brainwashed to buy a GTX680 for $450 with no games against a 1Ghz HD7970 for $380 with free games.

I guess when you have nothing positive to say about NV's pricing, you start attacking AMD's profit margins, etc. Pretty interesting how all NV users suddenly became professional financial analysts/equity research associates with this generation. I don't recall the same people being worried for AMD when HD4000-6000 series barely made them any $, which is why their low pricing strategy was abandoned by Rory Read. I do remember the same people not seeing the value of HD6950 unlocked or HD6950 unlocked x 2 against GTX580.

These people bring up the business related stuff because that's the only thing that's making their favorite company look better than AMD right now

Exactly. If GTX680 was $380 and shipped with 2 free AAA games while HD7970GE was $450 and came with no games, we wouldn't hear the end of it of how ridiculously overpriced AMD cards are. And it would be fair. When the reverse happens, we hear things like "AMD is desperate", or "AMD is near bankruptcy", etc. As I said before, this generation only reinforces the idea that many NV buyers are brand-attached. These people are willing to buy a slower card, pay more $ for it, accept gimped overclocking features, ignore freebies like bitcoin mining or 3GB of VRAM for mods. The same people who were glorifying TWIMTBP's collaboration with ugly looking console ports like Black Ops 2 or AC3 being bundled with budget GPUs, are now dismissing what are surely to be much more popular titles in the form of Crysis 3 and Bioshock Infinite. Outside of GTX690 and special situations involving 3 monitors being driven off DVI, or SLI >> CF, most of NV's single GPU cards have been overpriced since late June 2012 for enthusiasts, and it's only getting worse. Luckily for NV, years of marketing have created a loyal Apple-like following for their cards. It takes a while to change consumer's perceptions but it can be done (ask Hyundai and Kia).

NV's price premiums are built around perceived brand value. With AMD cards outperforming NV in nearly every Gaming Evolved title last year, having more AMD Gaming Evolved games is a major threat to NV's performance leadership and brand equity. Thus the ability to justify high prices for NV's cards becomes harder and harder. This is a threat to NV Focus Group members who will never acknowledge that their brand's products offer poor value or need price cuts (GTX280's $649 launch price or GTX580's $450 prices for most of its life say hello), or people who financially invested in NV's stock.

When you can now buy 2x HD7950s for $560 and get 6 free games, how does someone justify the value of a $560 GTX680 4GB when a single overclocked HD7950 can outperform a 680?

How do you downplay the value of a 7950? You downplay overclocking, a complete reversal of GTX460-470 days, and blow up frame-times issues out of proportion, despite Fermi cards suffering from these issues last generation, but hardly anything was said from the same vocal NV users about frame times on Fermi cards. :biggrin:

 

[piesquared]

There were also numerous 'why are AMD graphics cards so expensive', or 'when will AMD drop their graphics cards prices' threads spread across the internet. Interestingly enough, many 'why are nv cards still so expensive' threads were and are locked by mods. /:

 

[Rvenger]

How do you downplay the value of a 7950? You downplay overclocking, a complete reversal of GTX460-470 days.

It would be downplayed by saying it's latency issues are a big problem with the current WHQL drivers. (I am just answering your question on an NV FB perspective.)