Facebook reviews about retailer GPU Price Scalping (OC3D)?

[oldestgregg]

When I was 15, GPUs weren't 3d accelerator cards like they are today, even 3dfx hadn't released anything yet. So I couldn't get a 3d GPU and I'm still a gamer now I think I was 18 when I got my first proper 3d GPU, cost £90.

I get the point you are making but really we don't want to convert any people to be PC gamers at the moment anyway, because that just increases demand for GPUs. So I'm certaintly not going to suggest to anyone to be building a gaming PC right now, I would advise them to get an XBSX with game pass and then in the future if the situation changes they can probably play a lot of those games on the PC as well.

100% this. To be honest, a series X with game pass is far better value than any GPU you can buy now given you still need everything else to go with the GPU. Both the series X and the PS5 are really pretty powerful.

 

[Marine-RX179]

When I was 15, GPUs weren't 3d accelerator cards like they are today, even 3dfx hadn't released anything yet. So I couldn't get a 3d GPU and I'm still a gamer now I think I was 18 when I got my first proper 3d GPU, cost £90.

I get the point you are making but really we don't want to convert any people to be PC gamers at the moment anyway, because that just increases demand for GPUs. So I'm certaintly not going to suggest to anyone to be building a gaming PC right now, I would advise them to get an XBSX with game pass and then in the future if the situation changes they can probably play a lot of those games on the PC as well.

I remember buying a TNT2 Ultra 32MB (£125) from Electronic Boutique for £99.99 with a school mate buying it for me with his staff discount 20% off staff discount

 

[ScottiB]

oh joy, another potentially inflammatory thread from another forum newbie who fundamentally misunderstands that Nvidia's MSRP is for the Founders Edition and doesn't have any reflection whatsoever on the AIB's products.

I'm not going to defend the reseller who triggered TTL's response to the Ti launch. As I said at the time, the prices were bonkers and I didn't believe that they'd put them up for sale at those costs. TBH I still don't know if they did...did they actually sell any stock?

What I can tell you that there were a number of 3080Ti's with SRP's for launch north of £1600 (originally north of £1700) and we couldn't get near to the Founders Edition MSRP on ANY card without a rebate from the manufacturers. In other words, every card we buy costs us more than Nvidia's MSRP and we can't do anything about that.

In answer to the over-riding question, no I don't necessarily trust Facebook reviews, good or bad, because I believe that there's no burden to prove that you're an actual customer before posting a review. Which is how certain keyboard warriors have been able to trash some company's reputations because a manager, or member of staff did or said something controversial, even though they live thousands of miles away.

There's also the ability to buy reviews/follows. I remember once discovering that a major UK system builder had a massive Facebook following and their geographic demographic information suggested that the most popular location for their followers was the Philippines!