AMD calls demand for Radeon 9070 and 9070 XT "unprecedented," says restocking at MSRP is priority number one

AMD faces unprecedented demand for Radeon 9070, prioritizing restocking.

: AMD has experienced unprecedented demand for its RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards since their March 6 launch, making them difficult to find at MSRP. The RX 9070 XT is priced at $599, with the RX 9070 slightly cheaper at $549 but with 14% lower performance. Despite AMD's promise of 'wide availability,' many retailers like Newegg and Best Buy have sold out at MSRP. AMD's David McAfee emphasizes increasing the supply of Navi 48 to meet gamer demand worldwide.

AMD's recent launch of the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards has been met with incredibly high demand, which the company describes as 'unprecedented.' Both models, part of AMD's cutting-edge RDNA 4 architecture, were released on March 6. The RX 9070 XT, valued for its high performance and priced at $599, received an 85 score for its value. In contrast, the RX 9070, priced at $549 and offering about 14% less performance, received a score of 70.

Consumer interest has exceeded supply, notably for those seeking to purchase these graphics cards at their Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). Popular retailers such as Newegg and Best Buy have already run out of stock, despite AMD’s earlier assurance of 'wide availability.' The inability to find these cards means prices are inflating, with some sales exceeding $800, creating a scenario reminiscent of the past chip shortages in the gaming industry.

During a livestream with HotHardware, David McAfee, AMD Vice President and General Manager over Client Channel Business, discussed the steps the company is taking to address this supply challenge. He emphasized that AMD is 'doing all it can' to ensure that the Navi 48 cards become available worldwide at expected price points. Measures include ramping up supply and collaborating closely with board partners to enhance production capacities.

However, it's not only AMD that faces these pressures; Nvidia is experiencing similar challenges, with their graphics cards proving even more elusive. Prices for Nvidia’s offerings often exceed MSRPs, as evidenced by reports from industry insiders like Jese Martinez, CEO of PowerGPU. This broad scarcity highlights an ongoing struggle to balance gamer needs with market realities.

An interesting anecdote from Jese Martinez notes that the difficulties are so severe that a custom PC build might now cost $5,000 or more when equipped with Nvidia’s RTX 5090. Meanwhile, creative responses have sprung up, like an Indian retailer’s competition allowing select winners to purchase an RTX 5080 at MSRP, showcasing how this situation affects not just prices but consumer behavior worldwide.

Sources: TechSpot, HotHardware, Newegg, Best Buy

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