• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

ASRock Prevented by AMD to Sell its Graphics Cards in the EU

btarunr

Editor & Senior Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 9, 2007
Messages
46,274 (7.69/day)
Location
Hyderabad, India
System Name RBMK-1000
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
Motherboard ASUS ROG Strix B450-E Gaming
Cooling DeepCool Gammax L240 V2
Memory 2x 8GB G.Skill Sniper X
Video Card(s) Palit GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GameRock
Storage Western Digital Black NVMe 512GB
Display(s) BenQ 1440p 60 Hz 27-inch
Case Corsair Carbide 100R
Audio Device(s) ASUS SupremeFX S1220A
Power Supply Cooler Master MWE Gold 650W
Mouse ASUS ROG Strix Impact
Keyboard Gamdias Hermes E2
Software Windows 11 Pro
It's been extensively reported that ASRock's primary motivation behind entering the graphics card market is the crypto-currency wave. The company stitched together a lineup of graphics cards based on AMD Radeon RX 500 series, with its fastest card being the RX 580 Phantom Gaming X. It's now being reported that AMD is preventing ASRock from selling its graphics cards in the EU. The reasons behind the move are unclear, but from what we can tell, ASRock hasn't been given a region-specific permission to sell its graphics cards in the EU. This probably indicates a swelling inventory of AMD Radeon graphics cards from other AIB (add-in board) partners, due to waning interesting in GPU-accelerated crypto-currency mining.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site
 

T4C Fantasy

CPU & GPU DB Maintainer
Staff member
Joined
May 7, 2012
Messages
2,562 (0.59/day)
Location
Rhode Island
System Name Whaaaat Kiiiiiiid!
Processor Intel Core i9-12900K @ Default
Motherboard Gigabyte Z690 AORUS Elite AX
Cooling Corsair H150i AIO Cooler
Memory Corsair Dominator Platinum 32GB DDR4-3200
Video Card(s) EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 FTW3 ULTRA @ Default
Storage Samsung 970 PRO 512GB + Crucial MX500 2TB x3 + Crucial MX500 4TB + Samsung 980 PRO 1TB
Display(s) 27" LG 27MU67-B 4K, + 27" Acer Predator XB271HU 1440P
Case Thermaltake Core X9 Snow
Audio Device(s) Logitech G935 Headset
Power Supply SeaSonic Platinum 1050W Snow Silent
Mouse Logitech G903 Lightspeed
Keyboard Logitech G915
Software Windows 11 Pro
Benchmark Scores FFXV: 19329
Joined
Apr 30, 2012
Messages
3,881 (0.89/day)
From the translation. It reads some one at ASRock sent him a card for review

Tom's Hardware Germany said:
I got the request from ASRock today, where I actually got the card, because a sale in Europe was not planned at all.

He then comes to the conclusion

Tom's Hardware Germany said:
"The problem for me is that AMD has not agreed to sell in EU, that is really a pity."

So we went from AIB saying they were never planning a EU sale to AMD is banning them.

UPDATE:

Hardware.info said:
The German branch of Tom's Hardware had obtained one of the Phantom video cards from unofficial sources and published a review of it. They were approached by ASRock's senior sales manager, who wondered where the website had the video card. For example, no review copies were sent to European publications because the company was not allowed to sell the series in question in Europe. This would have been imposed by AMD, but for the exact reason it remains as yet guessing.
 
Last edited:

the54thvoid

Intoxicated Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
12,378 (2.37/day)
Location
Glasgow - home of formal profanity
Processor Ryzen 7800X3D
Motherboard MSI MAG Mortar B650 (wifi)
Cooling be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
Memory 32GB Kingston Fury
Video Card(s) Gainward RTX4070ti
Storage Seagate FireCuda 530 M.2 1TB / Samsumg 960 Pro M.2 512Gb
Display(s) LG 32" 165Hz 1440p GSYNC
Case Asus Prime AP201
Audio Device(s) On Board
Power Supply be quiet! Pure POwer M12 850w Gold (ATX3.0)
Software W10
All conjecture for now but not allowing a company to sell your product in a certain zone is bound to raise questions.
One position is the other AIB's were not happy about it squeezing them. Hope that's not true, because it puts AMD in the naughty box.
 
Joined
Sep 5, 2004
Messages
1,956 (0.27/day)
Location
The Kingdom of Norway
Processor Ryzen 5900X
Motherboard Gigabyte B550I AORUS PRO AX 1.1
Cooling Noctua NB-U12A
Memory 2x 32GB Fury DDR4 3200mhz
Video Card(s) PowerColor Radeon 5700 XT Red Dragon
Storage Kingston FURY Renegade 2TB PCIe 4.0
Display(s) 2x Dell U2412M
Case Phanteks P400A
Audio Device(s) Hifimediy Sabre 9018 USB DAC
Power Supply Corsair AX850 (from 2012)
Software Windows 10?
the reason is that there is to few vendors in asia so amd wanted to asrock to focus there, atleast what i read on reddit, lets hope they see the light and allow them in eu too, now that we cant get HIS in norway anymore :(
 
Last edited:
Joined
Nov 30, 2015
Messages
712 (0.23/day)
Location
Croatia
Processor Intel Xeon E3-1240v2 @3.4 GHz
Motherboard Gigabyte GA-B75M-D3H
Cooling Arctic Freezer 34
Memory Kingston HyperX Genesis 4x4GB @1600 MHz
Video Card(s) EVGA GTX 1050 Ti FTW ACX 3.0 4GB
Storage Crucial BX500 120 GB / WD Blue 1TB
Display(s) Dell P2419H
Case Deepcool Smarter /w 2x Arctic P12 PWM
Audio Device(s) Creative Sound Blaster Z + Edifier R1000T4
Power Supply BitFenix Formula Gold 550W
Mouse Microsoft WMO 1.1A
Keyboard IBM KB-8926
Software Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Benchmark Scores Turns on on the first try! Usually.
Since these cards seem to be cooler rebrands from Colorful, could it have something to do with them?

What kind of presence does Colorful have in the EU?
 
Joined
Sep 5, 2004
Messages
1,956 (0.27/day)
Location
The Kingdom of Norway
Processor Ryzen 5900X
Motherboard Gigabyte B550I AORUS PRO AX 1.1
Cooling Noctua NB-U12A
Memory 2x 32GB Fury DDR4 3200mhz
Video Card(s) PowerColor Radeon 5700 XT Red Dragon
Storage Kingston FURY Renegade 2TB PCIe 4.0
Display(s) 2x Dell U2412M
Case Phanteks P400A
Audio Device(s) Hifimediy Sabre 9018 USB DAC
Power Supply Corsair AX850 (from 2012)
Software Windows 10?
Since these cards seem to be cooler rebrands from Colorful, could it have something to do with them?

What kind of presence does Colorful have in the EU?
Colorful and Asrock own by same entity i wonder?
 
Joined
Jan 2, 2012
Messages
1,079 (0.24/day)
Location
Indonesia
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5700X
Motherboard ASUS STRIX X570-E
Cooling NOCTUA NH-U12A
Memory G.Skill FlareX 32 GB (4 x 8 GB) DDR4-3200
Video Card(s) ASUS RTX 4070 DUAL
Storage 1 TB WD Black SN850X | 2 TB WD Blue SN570 | 10 TB WD Purple Pro
Display(s) LG 32QP880N 32"
Case Fractal Design Define R5 Black
Power Supply Seasonic Focus Gold 750W
Mouse Pulsar X2
Keyboard KIRA EXS
Colorful and Asrock own by same entity i wonder?

No, they both just order cards from the same source, which is Chaintech.
 

deu

Joined
Apr 24, 2016
Messages
493 (0.17/day)
System Name Bo-minator (my name is bo)
Processor AMD 3900X
Motherboard Gigabyte X570 AORUS MASTER
Cooling Noctua NH-D15
Memory G-SkiLL 2x8GB RAM 3600Mhz (CL16-16-16-16-36)
Video Card(s) ASUS STRIX 1080Ti OC
Storage Samsung EVO 850 1TB
Display(s) ACER XB271HU + DELL 2717D
Case Fractal Design Define R4
Audio Device(s) ASUS Xonar Essence STX
Power Supply Antec HCP 1000W
Mouse G403
Keyboard CM STORM Quick Fire Rapid
Software Windows 10 64-bit Pro
Benchmark Scores XX
All conjecture for now but not allowing a company to sell your product in a certain zone is bound to raise questions.
One position is the other AIB's were not happy about it squeezing them. Hope that's not true, because it puts AMD in the naughty box.

I think if you are reading too much into it. Same product requires approval in different regions, and if Asrock have not sought to seek such approval in EU (on of the strictest regions when it comes to comsumer safety etc.), it makes alot of sense for them not to do so. Again if they planned to sell for cryptominers, the europian market makes no sense if they just wanna bulk out models for the asian market (which from my understanding would be easier to sell to from an approval point of view.) :)
 
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
788 (0.17/day)
Processor Intel
Motherboard MSI
Cooling Cooler Master
Memory Corsair
Video Card(s) Nvidia
Storage Samsung/Western Digital/ADATA
Display(s) Samsung
Case Thermaltake
Audio Device(s) On Board
Power Supply Seasonic
Mouse A4TECH
Keyboard UniKey
Software Windows 10 x64
If AMD doing this with 30% market share imagine what they will do with 80% market share. o_O
 
Joined
Nov 20, 2012
Messages
422 (0.10/day)
Location
Hungary
System Name masina
Processor AMD Ryzen 5 3600
Motherboard ASUS TUF B550M
Cooling Scythe Kabuto 3 + Arctic BioniX P120 fan
Memory 16GB (2x8) DDR4-3200 CL16 Crucial Ballistix
Video Card(s) Radeon Pro WX 2100 2GB
Storage 500GB Crucial MX500, 640GB WD Black
Display(s) AOC C24G1
Case SilentiumPC AT6V
Power Supply Seasonic Focus GX 650W
Mouse Logitech G203
Keyboard Cooler Master MasterKeys L PBT
Software Win 10 Pro
If AMD doing this with 30% market share imagine what they will do with 80% market share. o_O

OEM manufacturer Chaintec probably does not have trade deals on the EU region with AMD. ASRock buying rebadged and reboxed Radeons does not grant trade immunity.
 
Joined
Jan 8, 2017
Messages
8,860 (3.36/day)
System Name Good enough
Processor AMD Ryzen R9 7900 - Alphacool Eisblock XPX Aurora Edge
Motherboard ASRock B650 Pro RS
Cooling 2x 360mm NexXxoS ST30 X-Flow, 1x 360mm NexXxoS ST30, 1x 240mm NexXxoS ST30
Memory 32GB - FURY Beast RGB 5600 Mhz
Video Card(s) Sapphire RX 7900 XT - Alphacool Eisblock Aurora
Storage 1x Kingston KC3000 1TB 1x Kingston A2000 1TB, 1x Samsung 850 EVO 250GB , 1x Samsung 860 EVO 500GB
Display(s) LG UltraGear 32GN650-B + 4K Samsung TV
Case Phanteks NV7
Power Supply GPS-750C
All conjecture for now but not allowing a company to sell your product in a certain zone is bound to raise questions.
One position is the other AIB's were not happy about it squeezing them. Hope that's not true, because it puts AMD in the naughty box.

Why would AMD willingly want to prevent their own product being sold ? While keeping in mind the fact that other AIBs are selling their card in the EU with no problems.

Who knows what sort of screwed up legal agreement popped up as the reason for this rather than just pure malevolence.
 
Joined
May 2, 2017
Messages
7,762 (3.08/day)
Location
Back in Norway
System Name Hotbox
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, 110/95/110, PBO +150Mhz, CO -7,-7,-20(x6),
Motherboard ASRock Phantom Gaming B550 ITX/ax
Cooling LOBO + Laing DDC 1T Plus PWM + Corsair XR5 280mm + 2x Arctic P14
Memory 32GB G.Skill FlareX 3200c14 @3800c15
Video Card(s) PowerColor Radeon 6900XT Liquid Devil Ultimate, UC@2250MHz max @~200W
Storage 2TB Adata SX8200 Pro
Display(s) Dell U2711 main, AOC 24P2C secondary
Case SSUPD Meshlicious
Audio Device(s) Optoma Nuforce μDAC 3
Power Supply Corsair SF750 Platinum
Mouse Logitech G603
Keyboard Keychron K3/Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro M w/DSA profile caps
Software Windows 10 Pro
I don't get why this is being reported as news. This is entirely common practice across all brands, and the reason why you don't see Colorful GPUs in the US or Europe, or KFA2/Galax GPUs in the US - or all manner of Chinese motherboard and component brands outside of the APAC region. I would expect AIB partners to be able to get this permission if they really want it, but they probably need to show that they have a reliable network of distributors and RMA handlers and prospects of selling a noticeable amount of stock first.
 
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
8,115 (2.29/day)
Location
SE Michigan
System Name Dumbass
Processor AMD Ryzen 7800X3D
Motherboard ASUS TUF gaming B650
Cooling Artic Liquid Freezer 2 - 420mm
Memory G.Skill Sniper 32gb DDR5 6000
Video Card(s) GreenTeam 4070 ti super 16gb
Storage Samsung EVO 500gb & 1Tb, 2tb HDD, 500gb WD Black
Display(s) 1x Nixeus NX_EDG27, 2x Dell S2440L (16:9)
Case Phanteks Enthoo Primo w/8 140mm SP Fans
Audio Device(s) onboard (realtek?) - SPKRS:Logitech Z623 200w 2.1
Power Supply Corsair HX1000i
Mouse Steeseries Esports Wireless
Keyboard Corsair K100
Software windows 10 H
Benchmark Scores https://i.imgur.com/aoz3vWY.jpg?2
I don't get why this is being reported as news. This is entirely common practice across all brands, and the reason why you don't see Colorful GPUs in the US or Europe, or KFA2/Galax GPUs in the US - or all manner of Chinese motherboard and component brands outside of the APAC region. I would expect AIB partners to be able to get this permission if they really want it, but they probably need to show that they have a reliable network of distributors and RMA handlers and prospects of selling a noticeable amount of stock first.
I suspect ASRock is just out to make a buck and is trying to capitalize on the crypto-mining market before it tanks. I do agree there might be the off chance that ASRock has not setup an RMA process or RMA center that consumer have easy enough access.
 

iO

Joined
Jul 18, 2012
Messages
526 (0.12/day)
Location
Germany
Processor R7 5700x
Motherboard MSI B450i Gaming
Cooling Accelero Mono CPU Edition
Memory 16 GB VLP
Video Card(s) AMD RX 6700 XT
Storage P34A80 512GB
Display(s) LG 27UM67 UHD
Case none
Power Supply SS G-650
Asrock Europe's statement to Tom's Hardware:

"The decision of sales region for ASRock VGA card is based on the planning of mutual channel agreement. So far the first priority is Asia Pacific and Latin America. No confirmed schedules in EU markets yet"
 
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
2,141 (0.56/day)
Location
Serbia
Processor Ryzen 3600
Motherboard X570 I Aorus Pro
Cooling Deepcool AG400
Memory HyperX Fury 2 x 8GB 3200 CL16
Video Card(s) RX 470 Nitro+ 4GB
Storage SX8200 Pro 512 / NV2 512
Display(s) 24G2U
Case NR200P
Power Supply Ion SFX 650
Mouse G703
Keyboard Keychron V1 (Akko Matcha Green) / Apex m500 (gateron milky yellow)
Software W10
If AMD doing this with 30% market share imagine what they will do with 80% market share. o_O
Just look at nVidia and you'll have your answer
 
Joined
Mar 10, 2014
Messages
1,793 (0.49/day)
I don't get why this is being reported as news. This is entirely common practice across all brands, and the reason why you don't see Colorful GPUs in the US or Europe, or KFA2/Galax GPUs in the US - or all manner of Chinese motherboard and component brands outside of the APAC region. I would expect AIB partners to be able to get this permission if they really want it, but they probably need to show that they have a reliable network of distributors and RMA handlers and prospects of selling a noticeable amount of stock first.

Quite agreed. Though ASRock sells mini-PC:s and motherboards on EU so adding graphics cards for the list should not be that out of question.
 
Joined
May 2, 2017
Messages
7,762 (3.08/day)
Location
Back in Norway
System Name Hotbox
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5800X, 110/95/110, PBO +150Mhz, CO -7,-7,-20(x6),
Motherboard ASRock Phantom Gaming B550 ITX/ax
Cooling LOBO + Laing DDC 1T Plus PWM + Corsair XR5 280mm + 2x Arctic P14
Memory 32GB G.Skill FlareX 3200c14 @3800c15
Video Card(s) PowerColor Radeon 6900XT Liquid Devil Ultimate, UC@2250MHz max @~200W
Storage 2TB Adata SX8200 Pro
Display(s) Dell U2711 main, AOC 24P2C secondary
Case SSUPD Meshlicious
Audio Device(s) Optoma Nuforce μDAC 3
Power Supply Corsair SF750 Platinum
Mouse Logitech G603
Keyboard Keychron K3/Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro M w/DSA profile caps
Software Windows 10 Pro
Asrock Europe's statement to Tom's Hardware:

"The decision of sales region for ASRock VGA card is based on the planning of mutual channel agreement. So far the first priority is Asia Pacific and Latin America. No confirmed schedules in EU markets yet"
So: this is not news. Everyone agrees. This is coming pretty close to the definition of "tempest in a teapot".
If AMD doing this with 30% market share imagine what they will do with 80% market share. o_O
See @iO 's post above. This is the standard modus operandi for every supplier who has multiple OEMs making products based on their own in the PC space, and is not actually anti-competitive. If the case was that ASrock really really really wanted to sell GPUs in Europe and AMD said "No, and if you try, we won't give you any more components" that would be a different matter. But that is obviously not the case here.
 

the54thvoid

Intoxicated Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
12,378 (2.37/day)
Location
Glasgow - home of formal profanity
Processor Ryzen 7800X3D
Motherboard MSI MAG Mortar B650 (wifi)
Cooling be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4
Memory 32GB Kingston Fury
Video Card(s) Gainward RTX4070ti
Storage Seagate FireCuda 530 M.2 1TB / Samsumg 960 Pro M.2 512Gb
Display(s) LG 32" 165Hz 1440p GSYNC
Case Asus Prime AP201
Audio Device(s) On Board
Power Supply be quiet! Pure POwer M12 850w Gold (ATX3.0)
Software W10
Asrock Europe's statement to Tom's Hardware:

"The decision of sales region for ASRock VGA card is based on the planning of mutual channel agreement. So far the first priority is Asia Pacific and Latin America. No confirmed schedules in EU markets yet"

Well, there we go then. Explained, though it would have been better if the ASRock rep had just bloody said that initially.
 
Joined
Dec 6, 2016
Messages
748 (0.28/day)
Well, there we go then. Explained, though it would have been better if the ASRock rep had just bloody said that initially.

It would be even better if TPU would reach out to AsRock for an official statement before publishing this ...

Where is that freedom of choice now eh.

We had N brand choices before GPP was unveiled (and before AsRock decided to enter the market) and now we have N+1 brand choices thanks to Asus AREZ and death of GPP. Yeah, the delta isn't over 9000, but I think it's looking pretty good :rockout:
 
Joined
Sep 10, 2015
Messages
487 (0.16/day)
System Name My Addiction
Processor AMD Ryzen 7950X3D
Motherboard ASRock B650E PG-ITX WiFi
Cooling Alphacool Core Ocean T38 AIO 240mm
Memory G.Skill 32GB 6000MHz
Video Card(s) Sapphire Pulse 7900XTX
Storage Some SSDs
Display(s) 42" Samsung TV + 22" Dell monitor vertically
Case Lian Li A4-H2O
Audio Device(s) Denon + Bose
Power Supply Corsair SF750
Mouse Logitech
Keyboard Glorious
VR HMD None
Software Win 10
Benchmark Scores None taken
OEM manufacturer Chaintec probably does not have trade deals on the EU region with AMD. ASRock buying rebadged and reboxed Radeons does not grant trade immunity.
I've read on another forum that it's not just about the bargain with AMD. Chaintech does not have at least some of the certificates necessary to manufacture products that can be traded in EU. This also means they're doing the production cheaper compared to TUL who has those certificates and so produce most of the cards sold in the EU.
 
Top