General Gaming Article |
- AMD Radeon HD 7970, 7950, & 7870 Price Cuts Coming Soon
- PC Sales Remain Flat As The Market Waits For Windows 8?
- Nexus 7 Tablet Pre-Orders Shipping Now
- Rumor: Microsoft Killing Windows 8 Full Retail Editions
| AMD Radeon HD 7970, 7950, & 7870 Price Cuts Coming Soon Posted: 15 Jul 2012 03:00 PM PDT
Here is a breakdown of the new pricing. Thanks ago out to Anandtech for compiling the list.
It appears that in addition to the price cuts, AMD will continue to offer their free game promotions while quantities last. This includes "Three for Free" with the HD 7900 series, as well as DiRT Showdown for 7800 and 7700 series cards. According to AMD the 7970 GHz edition will be coming soon from several OEM's, but will maintain the $499 MSRP. Those willing to do a bit of self-overclocking will more than likely have no trouble reaching speeds similar to the GHz edition, and save a bucket of cash in the process. A $50 price cut on the Radeon HD 7970 is always welcome, however we wonder how long this card will stick around once the GHz edition starts building up inventory as we head into the fall. It's not inconceivable that quantities could be limited on the vanilla 7970, while other cards should be fairly easy to find. |
| PC Sales Remain Flat As The Market Waits For Windows 8? Posted: 15 Jul 2012 02:05 PM PDT
No matter what your opinions are of the new operating system, it's hard to deny it might be possible that consumers are in a wait and see approach this close to the release of a new OS, and will make a decision once the reviews are in. The only OEM who showed any type of growth was Lenovo, with HP, Dell, Acer, and even Apple showing mild to steep declines. Both IDC and Gartner believe that Windows 8, in combination with Ivy Bridge will inspire a new wave of hardware that will help rejuvenate the market in the second half of the year. Considering that Windows 8 won't launch until mid to late October at the earliest, I'd say these are ambitious predictions, but that's why they get paid the big bucks! "The announcement of a Windows 8 launch date, as well as broader communication of new features in the OS, are key steps that would help to address uncertainty about new product availability and help consumers and channels plan their purchases," IDC's Jay Chou noted. "Though Ultrabook was at first introduced in the market in 2011, the major promotion kicked off toward the end of [2Q 2012] with the Ivy Bridge-based Ultrabook release," Gartner's Mikako Kitagawa said. "This segment is still in an early adopter's stage." Ultrabooks aimed at Windows 8 will often feature touch screens and other features, such as convertible tablet designs, that could further differentiate them from today's products. Are you waiting on Windows 8 for your next hardware purchase? |
| Nexus 7 Tablet Pre-Orders Shipping Now Posted: 15 Jul 2012 01:46 PM PDT
"We're now shipping Nexus 7 pre-orders. The first wave of orders are going out today and all pre-orders are scheduled to ship within the next 3 business days. Once your order has shipped you will receive a confirmation email and tracking number. Though our agents are unable to provide a specific delivery date for individual pre-orders, please rest assured that our shipping team is working to fulfill all orders as quickly as possible." Anyone here waiting on their tablet? If so, did you order it from Google? |
| Rumor: Microsoft Killing Windows 8 Full Retail Editions Posted: 15 Jul 2012 07:58 AM PDT
In many ways the move makes sense for Microsoft, and represents an important admission for the company. Considering that anyone with a copy of Windows XP or later is eligible to upgrade, why bother offering an overpriced full version at all? System builders will still be able to pick up Windows 8 on the cheap with OEM editions from your favorite e-tailer, and for everyone else, there is an upgrade. Several news outlets have criticized the move, but we can't help but wonder why. The only noticeable difference between OEM and Retail editions was the flexibility to migrate the OS to new hardware with no activation issues. My retail copy of Windows XP for example must have graced at least 6 different systems over the 10 years I used it. OEM editions expressly prohibit this type of migration in the terms and conditions; however Microsoft has been known to have mercy on people replacing motherboards if you call in. Will you miss the Retail edition of Windows? |
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