The Morning After: Buying a good graphics card is an expensive mess
It’s been a weird time to dip into graphics cards, GPUs and… another synonym for the GeForces and Radeons of this world.
AMD has tried for a while to undercut NVIDIA with slightly cheaper but less capable video cards — but this time, with the Radeon 9070 and 9070 XT, it might have got the recipe right, especially in 4K and ray tracing performance.
Devindra Hardawar says the $599 Radeon 9070 XT, in particular, is a solid midrange GPU with excellent support for 1440p gaming and a bit of 4K. It has better ray tracing support than before, it’s faster than the plain Radeon 9070 and it finally has AI upscaling built in too. Not to mention, NVIDIA’s similarly priced GPUs landed around the same time.
It’s a good strategy — better than fighting with NVIDIA at the extreme high end of GPUs. It makes more sense for AMD to focus on cards people can actually buy — if you can.
It’s a good time to look closer at that too. “Buy.” Hah! The gaming PC makers and people who need high-powered machines for their work know this already — it’s a mess.
Not only is it impossible to find NVIDIA’s 50 series GPU in stock, but as Igor Bonifacic noted, nearly every single model is way above NVIDIA’s suggested price. This isn’t a pandemic thing anymore, this isn’t a crypto thing anymore (although that’s stoked demand, of course).
It’s like Taylor Swift tickets or a PS5 disc drive when the PS5 Pro broke cover — it’s scalpers and opportunism from the middle-man companies that make the majority of GPUs out there.
— Mat Smith
Get this delivered direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!
The biggest tech stories you missed
The Return of… Ask Engadget!
Is there a robot vacuum that won’t destroy phone cables? How is US trade policy going to affect the price of my next phone? Do I need another phone? Ask Engadget returns, with an entirely new email address: askmat(AT)engadget.com.
Ask me something!
Nothing’s Phone 3a Pro is cheap, capable and looks stylish
Only $459.
A sub-$500 smartphone that Engadget can endorse is a rare feat, but Nothing might have nailed it. Despite a premium Nothing Phone 3 not even existing, the company’s see-thru phone series shoots straight for the cheap midrange. Many of the specs, like periscope zoom, a 120Hz 6.77-inch screen and a huge 5,000mah battery are typically in phones that are several hundred dollars more. It’s all wrapped in a design full of character too. Check out my first impressions and expect a full review very soon.
Apple unveils the M4 MacBook Air, with a price drop
It starts at $999.
An upgraded laptop with a price drop? In this economy? The new MacBook Air, with an M4 chip, will retail at $999, down $100 from the previous starting price. There are still two size choices: 13-inch and 15-inch. RAM for the M2 and M3 laptops is 16GB by default, and the M4 model matches that standard. Apple is promising up to 18 hours of battery life, and the Airs will have support for Apple Intelligence. There’s also a new look in the lineup, with a sky blue color adding a new option beside the usual shades of gray.
The best action cameras for 2025
All the top models from GoPro, DJI and Insta360.
Engadget has been testing action cameras for more than 16 years and with that experience, we can help you find the right model for your budget and needs. In the past, GoPro was the go-to choice for first-person action filming, whether it’s surfing, rock climbing or offroading. But now, you have more choice, with models also available from DJI and Insta360. We break down all the different form factors — and our best choices.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121555319.html?src=rss
It’s been a weird time to dip into graphics cards, GPUs and… another synonym for the GeForces and Radeons of this world. AMD has tried for a while to undercut NVIDIA with slightly cheaper but less capable video cards — but this time, with the Radeon 9070 and 9070 XT,…
