Why do etailers offer different SKU's for the same price?

[Bubbleawsome]

I recently got a iceqx2 270x, and as everyone knows, they have 2 SKU's. One boosts to 1140 and the other boosts to 1050. I got the slower one, but plan to overclock to the 1140 SKU.
This made me think though, why do all of the board partners have much better SKU's for the same price? MSI has it's gaming and gaming oc and sometimes the gaming oc boost series for the same price. The only way to tell is the part number. It bothers me. :awe:

 

[ShintaiDK]

One is overclocked, the other is not. The overclocked also consume more power.

 

[PPB]

^ Seems like a spambot response.


You should dismiss those cases, nowadays sites like newegg and amazon just calculate the price of their SKU's with some weird algorith, which, i would assume, is based on the price dictated by the AIB with a variation because of current offer/demand (experienced with the R9 shortage and the mad prices we are lately seeing around). This would explain different SKU's that might have the same price, even tho there are small differences between them (which in most cases would account for a 10 bucks price difference, like in the HIS 270 X2 example).

 

[Bubbleawsome]

^ Seems like a spambot response.


You should dismiss those cases, nowadays sites like newegg and amazon just calculate the price of their SKU's with some weird algorith, which, i would assume, is based on the price dictated by the AIB with a variation because of current offer/demand (experienced with the R9 shortage and the mad prices we are lately seeing around). This would explain different SKU's that might have the same price, even tho there are small differences between them (which in most cases would account for a 10 bucks price difference, like in the HIS 270 X2 example).

Well, he isn't a spambot, but I am not sure he got the question.
I agree, but it annoys me that I could have gotten one much faster for the same price. I hope it will oc to the same levels, and I may exchange it for the faster one otherwise.

This thread was a bit of a rant thread. It bothers me. So. Much.
:whiste:

 

[daxzy]

There's even some variance within the same SKU.

I have 2x Sapphire R9-280x Dual-X OC. They both have boost to 1020 MHz core, but one of them has a default voltage of 1.168v while the other has 1.200v default. So basically at load, we're talking about a 40w difference, which is not insignificant.

The 1.168v one also undervolts better: down to 1.040v on stock settings, compared to 1.125v.

The 1.168v one also overclocks better at stock voltage (1150 Mhz vs 1080 MHz).

 

[Bubbleawsome]

There's even some variance within the same SKU.

I have 2x Sapphire R9-280x Dual-X OC. They both have boost to 1020 MHz core, but one of them has a default voltage of 1.168v while the other has 1.200v default. So basically at load, we're talking about a 40w difference, which is not insignificant.

The 1.168v one also undervolts better: down to 1.040v on stock settings, compared to 1.125v.

The 1.168v one also overclocks better at stock voltage (1150 Mhz vs 1080 MHz).

I am betting on something like the ASIC on each chips. But the difference in the advertised SKU's is what speed they can run at at the maximum AMD voltage for their chip. (1.2 I think) If sapphire bins their chips for the oc models they know it can hit 1100 at 1.2v at least, and if it goes lower that is fine. If it can not hit 1100 they bin it down to the lower SKU's at 1000 at 1.2 for example.

I am worried it is a poorly binned chip on my 270x.

 

[ShintaiDK]

Well, he isn't a spambot, but I am not sure he got the question.

I did get the question.

R9 270X reference clock is 1000/1050Mhz. One of the cards you mention runs at these reference clocks:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161443

The second card is a factory overclocked card that runs at 1100/1140Mhz. Also with higher powerdraw and run out of spec so to say from AMDs reference settings:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161442

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/graphics/2013/12/16/his-r9-270x-turbo-review/8

In this case, the OCed one consumes 20W more under load.

This also explains why the price is usually similar or very close.

But there is zero garantee that your reference clocked chip will OC like the factory OC.

 

[Bubbleawsome]

I did get the question.

R9 270X reference clock is 1000/1050Mhz. One of the cards you mention runs at these reference clocks:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161443

The second card is a factory overclocked card that runs at 1100/1140Mhz. Also with higher powerdraw and run out of spec so to say from AMDs reference settings:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161442

This also explains why the price is usually similar or very close.

No it doesn't. Usually if you buy an overclocked model you can expect a $30 premium or so. These were the same price to the cent from newegg. I understand that one is reference spec and one isn't, but I do not think that explains the identical price.
I am not being disrespectful, I just do not see how that explains anything.

Edit: I see you edited. I think I am returning this for the higher clocked model. HIS will not warranty this one if it will not run at 1140 while they will the other.

 

[3DVagabond]

I did get the question.

R9 270X reference clock is 1000/1050Mhz. One of the cards you mention runs at these reference clocks:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161443

The second card is a factory overclocked card that runs at 1100/1140Mhz. Also with higher powerdraw and run out of spec so to say from AMDs reference settings:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161442

The OP wants the reference clocked card to be cheaper, but it's not. He's wondering why it's not.

Good question, OP. Just a guess, but it's possible the O/C model was purchased at a different time with the same MSRP.

 

[ShintaiDK]

No it doesn't. Usually if you buy an overclocked model you can expect a $30 premium or so. These were the same price to the cent from newegg. I understand that one is reference spec and one isn't, but I do not think that explains the identical price.
I am not being disrespectful, I just do not see how that explains anything.

Edit: I see you edited. I think I am returning this for the higher clocked model. HIS will not warranty this one if it will not run at 1140 while they will the other.

Its all about the specifications. Take Intel, a 4670, 4670S, 4670T all cost the same. But they dont perform the same. In this case its different TDP, 84, 65 and 45W.

As I showed you, the 270X OC already consumes 20W more than reference, fanspeed is also a tad higher. But its still not a high enough OC with a high enough quality to to warrant a premium vs the competition. Had the same card not used 20W more, you might had to pay a 20$ premium or something. Since it was then a better bin.

 

[Bubbleawsome]

Ah, ok. I am contacting newegg. Wish me luck!