About two months ago, AMD launched the Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 graphics cards. In the first days of sales, they could be found at recommended prices – unlike Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5000 cards, which were released with significant markups right away. However, it is now impossible to find the RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 at recommended prices, at least in Germany, writes ComputerBase. AMD’s efforts to maintain prices, if there were any, have clearly come to naught.
Image source: ComputerBase
In early March, when the first batch of graphics cards with recommended prices were sold out, Frank Azor, head of AMD’s gaming business, said that the company would continue to “encourage” the sale of accelerators at the initially set recommended prices. Rumor has it that AMD set these prices shortly before the release of the cards, and they were made possible by discounts on the purchase of accelerators that AMD provided to OEMs and retailers. Some managed to buy cards several months before the official start of sales. Azor’s message was interpreted by many in such a way that the company will continue to offer discounts in the future, thus making it possible to sell cards at recommended prices.
Price Changes for Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT Graphics Cards in Germany
Market analysis conducted by the ComputerBase editorial team over the past few weeks shows that new graphics card shipments are no longer available at the originally stated MSRPs.
Best prices for video cards
Median price. Image source: ComputerBase
At best, the Radeon RX 9070 cost just under €650 in Germany, which is €20 higher than the recommended €629. As for the Radeon RX 9070 XT, its minimum cost was at €740–750, which is €50–60 higher than the recommended €689. The average prices for both models, taking into account new arrivals, are now just over €700 and around €800, respectively. It should be added that the prices include VAT.
ComputerBase notes that card makers are allowed to release models with MSRPs that are supposed to provide sufficient margins for both them and retailers, given their purchasing costs. However, card makers are not allowed to dictate prices to retailers. Even if AMD sells the Radeon RX 9000 to wholesalers at prices that, given their mid-price and retail margins, allow them to sell at MSRPs, that doesn’t mean that’s what will happen in practice.