It is solely pure that on the finish of a protracted yr you find yourself trying backwards. We have written a number 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. But it surely’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 may level to and name them positives, however on the entire 2022 nonetheless reasonably sucked to be a PC gamer.
My fundamental challenge with 2021 was that the mix of cryptocurrency mining and chip provide chain shortages made it an virtually unattainable financial choice 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 variety of sub-$300 choices.
So, the funds PC market was useless, that means that should you wished to advocate some type of vaguely reasonably priced entry-point into gaming it needed to be one in every of 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 funds graphics playing cards—the Radeon RX 6500 XT (opens in new tab) and the GeForce RTX 3050 (opens in new tab). And that really 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, nicely in my assessment I stated that “the place I wished at the least RTX 2060 efficiency, I’ve bought GTX 1660 Ti body charges with just a little 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 Change. 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 provide, not even an excellent gaming laptop computer.
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 sort and quantity of storage—one thing that’s upgradeable down the road. Although, to be truthful, Gabe’s gang does kinda discourage that.
I’ve already gone on document to say that I imagine that within the blandest yr for PC gaming {hardware} it was Valve alone who took any constructive 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 interest, was the loss of life of cryptocurrency GPU mining (opens in new tab). The long-delayed change 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 attempt to money of their chips. On the identical 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 rapidly, and we’re nonetheless not speaking about hearth sale pricing right here both, simply that you simply would possibly really be capable of discover the graphics card you need for less than about 25% above its MSRP. In the event you have been fortunate.
That is nonetheless kinda constructive, proper? And as we hit gross sales season with Prime Day in the summertime we really noticed offers on GPUs. Precise, real reductions. Instantly AMD’s lacklustre mainstream RDNA 2 playing cards began to tackle a lot larger significance. Instantly they have been at a worth that made them really kinda worthwhile, dare I say, even fascinating.
After which the subsequent gen occurred. New graphics card generations are typically 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 have been invited to the get together. Then AMD hosted its personal finish of yr GPU soirée and appeared to repeat the get together invites straight off the inexperienced group.
After each GPU producers had revealed their plans we have been left with a brand new era that featured 5 separate graphics playing cards costing between $899 and $1,599. On the Nvidia aspect, that translated right down to a 3rd tier GPU that was as a consequence of price $899. And let’s be clear on that, we’re speaking a few distinct slice of silicon, not a reduce 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. Identical to the opposite RTX 4080 (opens in new tab), which used a totally totally different GPU and value $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 the very 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 essentially ship one thing that appears like a real step up.
On the AMD aspect, 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 purple group would not know the best 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 would not work while you’re speaking about spending round $1,000 on a brand new GPU. Once 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 approach as 2021. Graphics playing cards are priced at a ridiculous degree and we’re left hoping the brand new yr will carry some type of reasonably priced GPU respite.
The present pricing construction is definitely untenable, however fortunately we’re beginning to see some type of market correction as neither the RTX 4080 or RX 7900 XT playing cards appear to be promoting notably nicely. Although that’s all simply going by circumstantial and anecdotal proof, if I am being utterly truthful. You do not have to go to Ebay to search out both card overpriced by filthy reseller, no, conventional retailers nonetheless have inventory and are keen to overprice these playing cards themselves. It isn’t about notably nice provide both, as Nvidia has admitted it is undersupplied the RTX 40-series to date.
However let me depart 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 degree. It has been extremely spectacular to see on Nvidia’s high-end playing cards, however could possibly be much more of a recreation changer within the decrease echelons. AMD’s bought its personal plans on that entrance, too, which might be music to funds PC players’ ears.
Yeah, perhaps 2023 might be higher. Perhaps.