AMD GPUs Sells Out in 5 Minutes, Gamers Livid at Crypto Miners

[abdillahzidan]

         Computer processor producer AMD released a new graphics card (GPU) earlier this week, and within 5 minutes the product was sold out on every major online marketplace. Supplies of the AMD Vega 56 were already expected to be tight due to manufacturing issues, but the near-immediate sellout left gamers seething at cryptocurrency miners for gobbling up the limited supply.
         The cryptocurrency markets have seen an unprecedented bull run in 2017, and increasing prices and media attention have caused demand for mining hardware to soar. Some cryptocurrencies, like ethereum, are–at present–mined most effectively using GPUs. Because the process is so competitive, miners need the latest technology to remain profitable. In the past, ethereum miners even resorted to leasing Boeing 747s to ship their processors so they could get a leg up in the hashpower race.
         The present surge in demand has often left PC gamers unable to obtain the latest GPUs without paying far over market value. And they are absolutely furious. The Vega 56, for instance, is difficult to find for less than $100 over MSRP. Some retailers have attempted to give gamers access to the Vega 56 by creating hardware/software bundles that would not appeal to miners, but the end result is that gamers still pay more than they would like.
         Raja Koduri, senior vice president and chief architect of the AMD Radeon Technologies Group, posted a Twitter thread weighing in on the controversy, stating that “we live in interesting times”

[Vann]

It's an AMD problem. Nvidia has no problem supplying gamers and miners with the cards they want, albeit at a markup at what they sold for previously. Maybe AMD should ramp up production and do the same?

[eckmar]

It's an AMD problem. Nvidia has no problem supplying gamers and miners with the cards they want, albeit at a markup at what they sold for previously. Maybe AMD should ramp up production and do the same?

It's because major percentage of miners use AMD cards. It's okay to see one rig with Nvidia but where have you seen warehouse of Nvidia cards (you can count them with fingers on your hands) ? AMD is trying to address that issue by offering Motherboard GPU and CPU bundle at a discounted price which is great value for Gamers

[leowonderful]

Vega isn't even great for mining, 56 was low in stock and sold out quickly likely for other reasons, one of which could have been AMD putting a shit ton of the Vegas in bundles which nobody buys ($100 "gift" that can be bought for way less ). Besides that, 1070s are often a better deal anyways. EVGA B-stock cards often come pretty cheap, I bought one of em and it was working just fine.