AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 Series Faces Price Hike Issues, Similar to Nvidia Scalping Behavior

The launch of AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 series GPUs was widely anticipated as a critical step in Team Red’s battle against Nvidia’s RTX 5000 series. Early reviews and performance benchmarks showed that the RX 9070 series had a solid start, offering great performance and value for gamers and creators alike. However, just as it seemed like AMD was on the right track, a familiar issue has emerged: price hikes.

As reported by Wccftech, AMD’s board partners have quietly increased the prices of the Radeon RX 9070 series, with some models now selling for up to $130 above the original MSRP. This behavior mirrors what we’ve seen with Nvidia’s GPUs over the years, where scalping and inflated retailer prices have been a persistent problem, even when stock levels are healthy.

This pricing shift is concerning, especially given that AMD had explicitly stated that it would encourage its AIB (Add-In Board) partners to adhere to the official MSRP for its RDNA 4 GPUs. Unfortunately, it seems that retailers and third-party manufacturers are still finding ways to bump up prices, leaving consumers to deal with the consequences.

In this blog post, we’ll take a deep dive into the issues surrounding the price hikes of AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 series, why this is happening, and the implications for gamers, PC builders, and the graphics card market as a whole.

Price Hikes Hit AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 Series

When AMD first unveiled its Radeon RX 9070 series, gamers and PC enthusiasts were hopeful that Team Red’s latest generation of RDNA 4 architecture would offer a compelling alternative to Nvidia’s high-end RTX 5000 GPUs. Offering great performance for the price, the RX 9070 series was positioned as an attractive option for anyone looking to upgrade their gaming PC without breaking the bank.

The RX 9070 XT, for example, was initially priced at $599, making it a solid contender against Nvidia’s RTX 4060 Ti and RTX 4070. However, retailers have started to list these cards for much more than the recommended price. Wccftech highlighted that the Sapphire Pulse 9070 XT is now being sold for a staggering $729.99, a $130 price increase over the original MSRP.

This sudden increase in prices is reminiscent of the issues that plagued the GPU market over the past few years, where scalpers and high demand drove prices skyward—far beyond what was intended by the manufacturer. Even when stock was replenished, retailers continued to sell graphics cards at inflated prices, taking advantage of the high demand for powerful GPUs.

While Nvidia has been frequently accused of allowing its partners to inflate prices—especially for RTX 30-series and RTX 4000-series cards—it seems AMD is now falling victim to similar pricing problems with its latest release.

Why the Price Hike?

So, what’s driving this price increase for AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 series? There are several factors at play here that are contributing to the higher-than-expected prices:

1. High Demand and Low Supply

While AMD has been able to produce and release the Radeon RX 9070 series, the demand for high-performance GPUs remains high, especially in the gaming and content creation sectors. Graphics cards like the RX 9070 XT are coveted for their raw performance and price-to-performance ratio, making them a popular choice for enthusiasts and PC builders. As demand rises, it’s often the case that retailers and AIB partners will increase prices to capitalize on this demand.

2. Rising Component Costs

Another factor influencing price hikes could be increased production costs for the hardware itself. The prices of semiconductors and raw materials have been fluctuating over the past year, contributing to rising costs for PC hardware manufacturers. Even if AMD doesn’t directly increase the MSRP, AIB partners may pass on the costs to consumers, leading to higher prices in retail channels.

3. Lack of Transparency with MSRP

The issue with price hikes is compounded by a lack of transparency between AMD, its AIB partners, and retailers. While AMD has publicly encouraged its partners to stick to the MSRP for the Radeon RX 9070 series, the reality is that the pricing strategy isn’t as straightforward. Retailers have indicated that the MSRP would only apply for the initial batches of the cards, and after the initial sales, prices would naturally rise. This, in effect, means that the price hikes were planned all along, which does not sit well with consumers expecting to pay what was advertised.

4. The Scalper Effect

For those familiar with the GPU market, the situation is eerily reminiscent of the scalper problem. During the global semiconductor shortage and the booming demand for gaming hardware, scalpers had been snapping up graphics cards and reselling them at outrageously high prices. The issue seemed to have calmed down in recent years, but now, instead of scalpers, the price hikes are being pushed by legitimate retailers and AIBs—making the situation even more frustrating for consumers.

What Does This Mean for Consumers?

For gamers and PC builders, these price hikes are understandably frustrating. Many consumers were hoping that the Radeon RX 9070 series would offer solid performance without breaking the bank, especially given how well AMD has performed with its RX 6000-series and RDNA 3 architecture.

The $130 price hike on the RX 9070 XT may not seem like much at first, but considering that the GPU market has already been inflated due to high demand, every extra dollar added to the cost pushes the card further out of reach for some consumers. When combined with other PC hardware price increases, it becomes harder for gamers on a budget to keep up with the cost of upgrading their systems.

Additionally, it raises questions about the role of AIB partners and whether their pricing behavior is being directly influenced by AMD or whether AMD can do more to enforce MSRP compliance. If this trend continues, it could lead to further frustration within the gaming community, especially those who were excited about the Radeon RX 9070 series as a value-oriented alternative to Nvidia’s offerings.

How AMD Can Address the Issue

AMD has acknowledged the price hikes and is likely aware of the growing dissatisfaction among Radeon RX 9070 buyers. While the company has stated it would “encourage” its partners to stick to the official MSRP, it may need to take a more hands-on approach to ensure that AIB partners are complying with the pricing guidelines. There may also need to be stricter regulations or actions to curb retailers’ ability to increase prices arbitrarily.

In addition, AMD could consider offering additional transparency to consumers by ensuring clear communication about pricing expectations and the timeline for price increases. This would help prevent confusion and disappointment, allowing consumers to make informed purchasing decisions.

Conclusion: A Repeat of the GPU Price Hike Trend?

While AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 series has generally fared better than Nvidia’s RTX 5000 series, the price hikes on these cards are a troubling sign for the industry. The scalper-like behavior of raising prices above MSRP for the Radeon RX 9070 XT mirrors the same issues that plagued Nvidia GPUs in the past, and it’s something that AMD must address moving forward.

For now, it seems that consumers will need to carefully monitor the prices of Radeon RX 9070 series GPUs and be wary of inflated prices from retailers. Whether AMD takes more action to ensure MSRP adherence or if retailers continue to push prices higher remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the GPU market remains as complex and challenging as ever for consumers seeking affordable hardware.