Why are high end GPU's out of Stock?

[Outback Bronze]

Hi guys,

I'm just trying to understand/figure out why all recently released high end GPU's are out of stock?

Has it got something to do with COVID, supply & demand, not enough production numbers, more PC gamers or something else?

I cant remember the last time recently released GPU's were this hard to find from both camps. Its driving prices up too. Is this going to be the norm for latest released high end GPU's?

Was looking at getting myself an Xmas present but not sure it gonna happen : (

Please enlighten me...

 

[Khonjel]

Whatever they may officially say, it's just supply issue. Nvidia because they are using Samsung fab which reportefly has worse yields and an exotic memory called GDDR6X of which Samsung is the only supplier.

AMD because they're supplying the Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PS5, Ryzen 5000 CPU, Ryzen 3000 CPU, EPYC server CPU, MI professional GPU, Threadripper 3000 CPU and now Radeon 6000 series from one fab, TSMC. And it isn't as if AMD is the only one using TSMC's 7nm production. Qualcomm, Huawei, Apple are still eating some of TSMC's total 7nm output.

 

[Mussels]

W1zzard got given them all by santa, for being such a good boy.

 

[R-T-B]

and an exotic memory called GDDR6X of which Samsung is the only supplier.

Micron. Micron is the only supplier.

At any rate, this is a global crisis due to COVID. Anyone telling you otherwise is a fool, and will be in for a shock come future launches as well. We'd all best prepare for the worst.

 

[Mussels]

Higher demand (more people at home)
Lower supply (less air travel = slower supply of components, meaning slower production)

 

[criss2984]

Hunger sales.If they really want to sell, they can choose to order out of stock (queuing rather than snapping up).

 

[Hugis]

dunno how true this is ?

Can't buy a new Ampere GPU? That's because NVIDIA sold them to miners | TweakTown

 

[TheLostSwede]

No shortage of high-end cards here.
At least nine RTX 3090 cards in stock in just one online shop.

PChome 24h購物

24h.pchome.com.tw

This one has at least seven RTX 3080 cards in stock.

-欣亞數位 ‧ 買電腦，找欣亞

www.sinya.com.tw

All at the proper retail pricing too.

I guess part of the reason for that is that 3090's cost more than a lot of people's monthly wages here...

 

[aQi]

From where I understand its due to too many scalpers.

 

[lynx29]

Micron. Micron is the only supplier.

At any rate, this is a global crisis due to COVID. Anyone telling you otherwise is a fool, and will be in for a shock come future launches as well. We'd all best prepare for the worst.

I think it would be interesting to see how silicon wafers are made, and the raw resources where it is all mined, the entire process before the wafer hits the factory at TSMC, etc. I have a strong feeling this process is going to cost a ton more to accomplish in the future, either from shortages, lack of quality control, workers, or climate change issues. This may very well be the last console generation for one of those reasons alone, I don't know, we will see. They already announced wafer prices going up 21% next year. It's only going to keep increasing.

 

[Rei]

At first it was scalpers combined with low initial supply. After the restock, aggressive consumer demand gobbled them all up. Now there should still be some in stock if you know where to find them.

This may very well be the last console generation for one of those reasons alone, I don't know, we will see.

I dunno if that will be the case. The next "next" gen is still some years away. Shortly before that time, economic pressure along with other related issue could have recover... Hopefully anyway....

 

[birdie]

For the quarter in review, Nvidia sold at least $175 million worth of new generation GPUs to ethereum miners, helping the outperformance, according to a note from RBC Capital Markets analyst Mitch Steves. The analyst had guided sales to miners to come in at $150 million for the quarter.

Steves noted that the upcoming network upgrade of the Ethereum blockchain, also known as Ethereum 2.0, which is scheduled to take place sometime in December, demands that miners switch over to more efficient mining hardware. Nvidia’s new Ampere GPU chips are thought to meet that need.

Source.

 

[Outback Bronze]

W1zzard got given them all by santa

Well this is the problem isn't it. All these reviews and not one card to be had. A bit frustrating.

I remember the days when a card came out and I could actually go purchase the thing.

Can anybody here remember any releases like this? Pretty sure I've never had this problem.

Its been six weeks now and not a 3080 in sight @ RRP. I hope the 6800's don't suffer the same fate but I'm not liking my chances.

I'm generally putting this problem down to covid. Seems things aren't normal..

 

[Sovsefanden]

Demand is way higher than Supply (and this wont change anytime soon)

Covid19 means millions of people are staying at home, they are bored and wants to play games, so many are upgrading their rigs.
- Covid19 means that shipping is absolute hell

GPU Mining is relevant again with Ethereum 2.0, Ampere is good perf/value for this, espeially 3060 Ti and 3070 will be (best perf per watt) - PROBABLY AMD 6800/6700 too (undervolted and underclocked).

Cyberpunk is coming, biggest game release in years, people are upgrading

Sadly this probably will continue deep into 2021, according to several retailers

Many of this affects ALL HARDWARE, including TV's, headsets/headphones, consoles (next-gen sold out and most people won't recieve before next year).


Soooooooooo glad I got a 3080 4 days after release for 699 right now!! Some people can expect to wait MONTHS and MONTHS for a new GPU (REGARDLESS of model)

The popular custom cards will be almost IMPOSSIBLE to get, because thousands and thousands are waiting for these.

I know a guy who recieved a 3080 EAGLE from Gigabyte last night, ordered on release, one of the lesser popular cards. Imagine the waiting time on the popular ones then...

 

[authorized]

From where I understand its due to too many scalpers.

Scalpers are just an awful consequence of vastly insufficient supply.

 

[Jetster]

All the above

People that insist on paying the inflated price also part of the problem

 

[mb194dc]

Multiple reasons, covid pandemic, console release taking fab capacity, manufacturers trying to clear stock of older cards, mining. Probably the worst time ever to upgrade at the moment. Personally sitting on 1080p and will wait 12 months before even thinking about moving up.

Very good chance the situation is radically different by mid next year. AMD likely to go for market share and drive prices down, eventually. Very uncertain what happens with global economy generally. Lots of hope around vaccines though that doesn't necessarily get realised.

Which could mean a massive further crash and / or lockdowns. So quite uncertain outlook to put it mildly.

 

[Rei]

Scalpers are just an awful consequence of vastly insufficient supply.

While that could be true, I doubt that even scalpers knew of limited supply in stock. If anything, they are the primary reason for stock shortage at the start, as I've mentioned before.

 

[FinneousPJ]

Hi guys,

I'm just trying to understand/figure out why all recently released high end GPU's are out of stock?

Has it got something to do with COVID, supply & demand, not enough production numbers, more PC gamers or something else?

All of the above!

 

[xrobwx71]

All at the proper retail pricing too.

Is that 22000 yuan?

Hi guys,

I'm just trying to understand/figure out why all recently released high end GPU's are out of stock?

Has it got something to do with COVID, supply & demand, not enough production numbers, more PC gamers or something else?

I cant remember the last time recently released GPU's were this hard to find from both camps. Its driving prices up too. Is this going to be the norm for latest released high end GPU's?

Was looking at getting myself an Xmas present but not sure it gonna happen : (

Please enlighten me...

There are plenty in stock on ebay for 2x 3x 4x the retail price. (USD) You can even buy an image (picture) of the card for $850.00.

 

[Arctucas]

Greed.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Is that 22000 yuan?

Yes, if you read it as money, not RMB. It's NTD, New Taiwan Dollars. Taiwan is not China and doesn't use RMB.

 

[droopyRO]

Maybe those cards getting replaced will find their way on to the second hand market.

 

[EarthDog]

lol, and someone said only 9,999 cards were out or something... If these sold at $999 each, that's 175,000 units right here.

 

[kruk]

Can anybody here remember any releases like this? Pretty sure I've never had this problem.

There were other high end GPU shortages in the past (not counting the mining craze). For example the high end card shortage in 2004 (source1, source2). Back then, nVidia launched the Geforce 6800 Ultra prematurely, and ATI followed with Radeon X800XT PE. Both cards had availability issues for a long time ... It looks like the history repeats itself, as the situation now is very similar ...