

Marchitecture at its finest







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RE: Stupid Stupid
By kattanna on 3/4/2009 11:36:51 AM , Rating: 5
the problem with that line of thought though is that people looking at your 300c from 2008, are not being told that in 2009 its a new 400c model! when in reality its the same 300c.

GPU makers have for many many years now used advancing model numbers to show new tech levels, AKA geforce 5XXX, 6XXX, 7XXX, 8XXX.. with numbering within that range to show higher and lower end versions of that new tech process, EXP a 6800 being a higher end model then a 6600.

now nvidia released a new tech for GPU's in the GT 260/280 parts. the tech level is even called the GT200 chip. now they try to introduce "new" cards based on older tech and call it the GTS250, clearly implying its an lower end part of the new GT200 tech.

is it the fault of the consumer for not fully researching their purchase so they dont get "conned" yes it is.

but its also clearly deceptive advertising on nvidias part for trying to confuse what its products are.

RE: Stupid Stupid
By Reclaimer77 on 3/4/09, Rating: -1
RE: Stupid Stupid
By ninjaquick on 3/4/09, Rating: -1
RE: Stupid Stupid


RE: Stupid Stupid
By therealnickdanger on 3/4/2009 12:14:26 PM , Rating: 3
I dunno, I think there's a lot of things that "don't make sense" to us on the outside looking in. To assume it's a con game or intentional deception is too pessimistic for my tastes. NVIDIA doesn't want to have three cards on the market (8800, 9800, GT250), it wants its brand to have one (perceived) line at a time.

Look at it this way:

NVIDIA makes a GREAT card, the 8800, then continue (as usual) to improve the manufacturing side of it and then want to introduce some better mid and low end parts for a new 9000-series lineup. Well, do they bring out the 9600GT and leave the 8800GT on the market? Think of all the ignorant customers that will buy a 9600GT instead of a 8800GT because the number is higher! That would not only hurt NVIDIA's reputation, but also their bottom line (high end cards provide more margin).

The solution? "Well, we don't have a new architecture for our high-end card yet, so lets rebadge the 8800GT as the 9800GT so that our customers know that 9800 > 9600 instead of 9600 > 8800."

So that carried them through the 9000-series until the GT-series hit. OK, so now they have these huge, badass graphics cards on the high end, but they have nothing in the GT-series for the mid or low end. Once again, they have a numbering problem. In the ignorant consumers' eyes, they see 8800/9800 > 260/280. Why not clear up the confusion and rebadge a clear and solid winner to be a placeholder in their GT lineup? It helps ensure that consumers get what they expect. Let's face it, they assume a higher number = a better product.

Obviously, NVIDIA knows that you and I know the difference (or lack thereof) between the 8800/9800/GT250. NVIDIA also has shareholders that demand performance. If the GT line isn't successful because they don't have a mainstream part ON PAPER, then it looks bad ON PAPER, and that could put NVIDIA in a difficult situation for their next architecture.

NVIDIA's only error in all this, IMO, is failing to discontinue previous models when the new ones hit.

For the record, I've been using and preferring mostly ATI cards for the past 5 years.

RE: Stupid Stupid
By Mr JB on 3/4/2009 12:27:20 PM , Rating: 2
We live in a world of small margins. So I can't blame Nvidia trying to get more return on their investement. I am in the affect though that I would hate it not to go to a good cause. Befor anyone points out I don't mean the fat cats pockets.

