AMD Radeon RX 7900 RDNA3 GPU Launch Could Face Scarcity, China Loses Reference Card Privilege

[AleksandarK]

AMD's next-generation Radeon RX 7900 high-end graphics cards are set to arrive next week and bring the new RDNA3 GPU architecture to the masses. However, it seems like the customers will have to fight for their purchase as the availability could be scarce at launch, leading to potentially increased prices with low stocks. According to Igor's Lab report, Germany will receive only 3,000 reference MBA (Made By AMD) units of Radeon RX 7900 series cards. In contrast, the rest of the EMEA region will receive only 7,000 MBA units. These numbers are lower than expected, so AIB partners may improve the supply once their designs hit shelves.

On the other hand, mainland China will not receive any MBA units of the new cards as a sign of increasing tension with Taiwan. Of course, AMD's board partners will supply their designs to China, and they are allowed to; however, it seems that only AMD is making a statement here. In addition to supply issues, the launch is rumored to be covered in BIOS issues such as memory leaks and the COVID-19 outbreak affecting production in closed factories. Of course, all of this information should be taken with a grain of salt, and we must wait for the official launch before making any further assumptions.



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[medi01]

More FUD, for those interested:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1600080789781155840

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

More FUD, for those interested:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1600080789781155840

I agree, this is FUD, this newz drives the need to purchase before prices really do reach scalping level.

 

[Fahad]

Of course, all of this information should be taken with a grain of salt, and we must wait for the official launch before making any further assumptions.

After all the assumptions mentioned in this article, who is TechPowerUp to decide when to stop making assumptions? XD

 

[AleksandarK]

After all the assumptions mentioned in this article, who is TechPowerUp to decide when to stop making assumptions? XD

We just report the rumors circulating around. Not any of this is an assumption made by TPU, or any of the staff. We just do our jobs to keep the readers informed.

 

[fancucker]

Teething issues with the MCD/Chiplet design, efficiency claims called into question (sometimes wrongfully albeit), failure to capture the rasterization crown (the major saving grace of RDNA), raw RT performance beneath that of the 3090 Ti, and now production issues. An awful GPU cycle this round. I hope they can make a far better showing next time round (not the purported RDNA refresh). I admit that despite being team green I have an affectionate place for the 290X and 5870 in my heart.

 

[Fahad]

We just report the rumors circulating around. Not any of this is an assumption made by TPU, or any of the staff. We just do our jobs to keep the readers informed.

Sure, but if more rumors come out tomorrow, TPU will probably report on them to, like you said, "keep readers informed". So that last line of the article doesn't make much sense.

 

[zo0lykas]

Same shit different year... Ohh well

 

[GamerGuy]

Scalpers are rubbing their collective hands in glee, but let's not feed those money grubbing $%#@, okay?!

 

[CyberCT]

Great. Just what we need. More GPU scarcity. There won't be a 4090 upgrade to the VR rig anytime soon.
Glad I picked up a 3080 12GB and 3080 ti brand new at the price bottoms of the market. They can hold me over until this scarcity and scalping ridiculousness clears (hopefully).

 

[GamerGuy]

For me, I won't be back home till February, hopefully, by then, some of the scarcity issue would have been alleviated....

 

[MarsM4N]

Gamers: Ohh hell NOO! Scalpers: YES baby! [busy setting up their bots]

Only 10k cards would really be low if true. Needs a quick trigger finger to get your hands on one.

 

[_JP_]

Videocardz and wccftech have been way too active lately...
Looks like roads have to stay snow-covered with the loads of salt needed for this launch.

 

[GunShot]

I agree, this is FUD, this newz drives the need to purchase before prices really do reach scalping level.

If that is coming from a WCCFTech's staff associate, 98.9999% it's uncertain drama and/or an extreme very untrustworthy hateful far-left gibberish.

 

[Pumper]

As far as I know, you can only get the AMD reference GPUs from AMD directly in Europe and they are shipped straight from Taiwan, so this rumor makes no sense. Plus, you have to add VAT and import taxes on top of the $ price, which makes them more expensive than AIBs, so the whole thing is irrelevant anyway, and it does not say anything about AIB card shortage.

 

[GunShot]

After all the assumptions mentioned in this article, who is TechPowerUp to decide when to stop making assumptions? XD

Wait = keep your eyes/ears open... EVERYWHERE for OFFICIAL info - and "STOP", well, that WORD/SUGGESTION was not even used.

 

[Chrispy_]

AMD cannot sell direct to China as that breaches the US-China semiconductor sanctions. Even if they're manufactured in Taiwan, AMD are still a US corporation and bound by the US government to US laws and policies.

Asus, Gigabyte, Sapphire, Powercolor etc are Taiwanese, subject to no such restrictions.

 

[GunShot]

AMD cannot sell direct to China as that breaches the US-China semiconductor sanctions. Even if they're manufactured in Taiwan, AMD are still a US corporation and bound by the US government to US laws and policies.

Asus, Gigabyte, Sapphire, Powercolor etc are Taiwanese, subject to no such restrictions.

Yes they are.

AMD cannot sell direct to China as that breaches the US-China semiconductor sanctions. Even if they're manufactured in Taiwan, AMD are still a US corporation and bound by the US government to US laws and policies.

Asus, Gigabyte, Sapphire, Powercolor etc are Taiwanese, subject to no such restrictions.

The US has taken complementary policy actions recently, including banning NVIDIA from selling A100s and H100s to Chinese companies and blacklisting 13 more Chinese companies from receiving any investment by Americans.

Taiwan seems to be on-board with the plan, promising "very firm" export controls on Taiwanese chips being sold to the Chinese

 

[Chrispy_]

Yes they are.

How so?

AIB partners are almost exclusively headquartered in Taiwan or Hong Kong. As multinational corporations operating outside of China, the AIB vendors can buy GPUs from AMD as components outside the PRC without breaching the sanctions. These partners themselves can sell their end products to the Chinese market from within the PRC, also breaching no sanctions. The conversion from parts to a completed product is where the legal distinction lies.

AMD cannot sell their own end products directly in China without breaching those sanctions, just as AMD could not supply GPUs to any company exclusively operating within the PRC.

That's my understanding of how the sanctions work, if you have a better, sourced article you want to link I'm happy to stand corrected but "Yes they are" doesn't really help me understand what I'm missing if I'm wrong.

 

[GunShot]

Remember, it would not even be any FOREIGN AIB/AIC's partners without any American regulators' permission and tech prowess.

Taiwan yesterday pledged to work closely with the US and other allies to prevent China’s military from acquiring state-of-the-art technology, as Washington steps up efforts to contain the world’s No. 2 economy.

Taiwan vows to safeguard chip tech - Taipei Times

Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan

www.taipeitimes.com

 

[Dirt Chip]

Pre lunch excuses for high price?
A sense of urgency in the air?
Limited supply concerns?

I don't believe it, That can't be true! we have never seen this behavior before!!

 

[ZoneDymo]

We just report the rumors circulating around. Not any of this is an assumption made by TPU, or any of the staff. We just do our jobs to keep the readers informed.

I mean its "your" site so do whatever, but I dont think relaying rumors is the same as informing people.

 

[defaultluser]

I agree, this is FUD, this newz drives the need to purchase before prices really do reach scalping level.

well, i can certainly believe the xtx is losing money - when you trade blows with the 256-bit card at 384-bits wide with exactly the same memory chips as the 4090, you can logically surmise they are bleeding cash!

that firmware memory leak also sounds like situation: normal on a rushed AMD product launch - before rdna2, they were releasing new arch once every 3 years!

 

[Deleted member 185088]

Doesn't make sense, the 4090 with a much larger GPU and cooler is still available. Why wouldn't a "simpler" GPU be available?

 

[NoneRain]

I mean its "your" site so do whatever, but I dont think relaying rumors is the same as informing people.

Informing ppl about rumors