It is solely pure that on the finish of an extended yr you find yourself trying backwards. We have written quite a lot of tech information this yr—bizarre, great, and Gabe-y (opens in new tab)—and a monstrous variety of {hardware} critiques (opens in new tab), too. However it’s a chunk I printed on the very first day of 2022 that I need to revisit, a chunk the place I referred to as 2021 the worst yr for PC gaming (opens in new tab).
With 2022 now receding into the rearview mirror, was it actually any higher? Truthfully, I am not satisfied. There are happenings you can level to and name them positives, however on the entire 2022 nonetheless relatively sucked to be a PC gamer.
My principal concern with 2021 was that the mix of cryptocurrency mining and chip provide chain shortages made it an virtually not possible financial determination for producers to place thought, power, and extra importantly cash, into mainstream PC gaming. It was the truth that with each single GPU put in the marketplace being offered, it made extra sense to maintain pumping out $1,000+ playing cards while you’re set to promote the identical quantity as should you’d listed a spread of sub-$300 choices.
So, the finances PC market was lifeless, that means that should you wished to advocate some form of vaguely inexpensive entry-point into gaming it needed to be one among both Sony or Microsoft’s consoles. And it sucks to need to say that as a dyed-in-the-wool PC gamer.
However in 2022 each AMD and Nvidia launched their finances graphics playing cards—the Radeon RX 6500 XT (opens in new tab) and the GeForce RTX 3050 (opens in new tab). And that truly solely made me really feel worse in regards to the mainstream market. The RX 6500 XT delivers all of the efficiency of an AMD card that price the identical worth when the RX 480 launched again in 2016 and the RTX 3050, effectively in my evaluate I stated that “the place I wished not less than RTX 2060 efficiency, I’ve obtained GTX 1660 Ti body charges with a little bit RTX frosting on prime.”
That I don’t name progress.
However then Valve dropped the Steam Deck (opens in new tab). A tool that’s uniquely PC in its make-up, and the equal of our Swap. It is a console-like system, with a price ticket to match. It is an entry-point into the world of PC gaming, providing a utility that no different rig can actually supply, not even a very good gaming laptop computer.
We’re nonetheless not speaking about hearth sale pricing right here, simply that you just may truly be capable of discover the graphics card you need for less than about 25% above its MSRP.
One of many issues that stands out to me about Valve’s handheld is that the one differentiator between its three worth factors is the kind and quantity of storage—one thing that’s upgradeable down the road. Although, to be honest, Gabe’s gang does kinda discourage that.
I’ve already gone on document to say that I consider that within the blandest yr for PC gaming {hardware} it was Valve alone who took any optimistic dangers (opens in new tab). So, I will not maintain banging on in regards to the Steam Deck, although that was a vibrant level of the yr for certain.
One other blazing white vibrant spot, and arguably much more vital for the long-term well being of PC gaming as a passion, was the demise of cryptocurrency GPU mining (opens in new tab). The long-delayed swap of ethereum to a proof-of-stake consensus meant that the number-crunching energy of our graphics playing cards was not wanted to safe the ethereum blockchain. That, and the collapse of bitcoin serving to crash costs throughout the board, made it successfully a nugatory endeavour.
Cue a lot of second-hand GPUs hitting the market as a load of miners sought to try to money of their chips. On the similar time graphics card producers elevated manufacturing meant there was a glut of recent playing cards on the cabinets of prime retail, too.
In flip that meant costs lastly began to drop for GPUs. Although not notably shortly, and we’re nonetheless not speaking about hearth sale pricing right here both, simply that you just may truly be capable of discover the graphics card you need for less than about 25% above its MSRP. When you had been fortunate.
Nvidia raised the barrier of entry to such a scale that solely its wealthy followers had been invited to the celebration.
That is nonetheless kinda optimistic, proper? And as we hit gross sales season with Prime Day in the summertime we truly noticed offers on GPUs. Precise, real reductions. Instantly AMD’s lacklustre mainstream RDNA 2 playing cards began to tackle a lot better significance. Instantly they had been at a worth that made them truly kinda worthwhile, dare I say, even fascinating.
After which the following gen occurred. New graphics card generations are usually some extent of nice pleasure within the PC gaming sphere, however Nvidia raised the barrier of entry to such a scale that solely its wealthy followers had been invited to the celebration. Then AMD hosted its personal finish of yr GPU soirée and appeared to repeat the celebration invites straight off the inexperienced staff.
After each GPU producers had revealed their plans we had been left with a brand new technology that featured 5 separate graphics playing cards costing between $899 and $1,599. On the Nvidia facet, that translated right down to a 3rd tier GPU that was resulting from price $899. And let’s be clear on that, we’re speaking a couple of distinct slice of silicon, not a minimize down model of the costly prime GPU, however a really small chip (round RTX 3050 ranges) manufactured to be featured in a decrease class of graphics card.
And but was nonetheless priced at $899. And referred to as an RTX 4080. Similar to the opposite RTX 4080 (opens in new tab), which used a very totally different GPU and price $1,200+. Fortunately, after refusing to see that was a complicated state of affairs when it was identified at numerous press briefings, Nvidia lastly conceded that it wasn’t one of the best plan and “unlaunched” the 12GB RTX 4080 (opens in new tab). We’re now more likely to see that rebadged as an RTX 4070 Ti someday within the new yr.
Nonetheless, that left us with the 16GB RTX 4080 at $1,200 and the RTX 4090 (opens in new tab) at $1,600. And, inconceivably, the RTX 4090 was the one one which represented any sense of worth for cash. It is tenuous, certain, however that monster GPU is the one card from the present gen to actually ship one thing that appears like a real step up.
On the AMD facet, its simply adopted Nvidia’s ultra-enthusiast pricing lead and costed up its RDNA 3-powered RX 7900 XTX (opens in new tab) and RX 7900 XT (opens in new tab) at $999 and $899 respectively. It is just like the crimson staff does not know the right way to do fanatic GPUs as a result of the ‘XT’ card makes zero sense. Down at ~$500 that pricing delta is smart, however pricing it $100 lower than the full-fat Navi 31 chip does not work while you’re speaking about spending round $1,000 on a brand new GPU. If you’re already able to drop that amount of money you are simply going to spend the additional on the higher card.
So, we’re ending 2022 in a lot the identical means as 2021. Graphics playing cards are priced at a ridiculous stage and we’re left hoping the brand new yr will carry some form of inexpensive GPU respite.
The present pricing construction is unquestionably untenable, however fortunately we’re beginning to see some form of market correction as neither the RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XT playing cards appear to be promoting notably effectively. Although that’s all simply going by circumstantial and anecdotal proof, if I am being utterly honest. You do not have to go to Ebay to seek out both card overpriced by filthy reseller, no, conventional retailers nonetheless have inventory and are keen to overprice these playing cards themselves. It is not about notably nice provide both, as Nvidia has admitted it is undersupplied the RTX 40-series up to now.
However let me go away this maudlin screed on a excessive: DLSS 3 with Body Technology is frickin’ black gaming magic and can make any mainstream GPU it touches fly. It inserts utterly AI generated frames into appropriate video games, drastically enhancing efficiency to a fairly spectacular stage. It has been extremely spectacular to see on Nvidia’s high-end playing cards, however might be much more of a sport changer within the decrease echelons. AMD’s obtained its personal plans on that entrance, too, which might be music to finances PC avid gamers’ ears.
Yeah, perhaps 2023 might be higher. Possibly.
