Here’s how AMD is manipulating AIBs and retailers to only ensure MSRP pricing for specific RX 9070 series SKUs, and that too for base models.
AMD Is Apparently Applying Its Rebate Program On Base Models Of The RX 9070 Series, That Too In Limited Quantities
AMD’s RX 9070 series has, as expected, disrupted the mainstream GPU segment, with its attractive pricing attracting many buyers. To top it off, Team Red managed to bring in high inventory levels with the release, which is why many consumers acquired GPUs during the initial launch period. However, the inconsistency in pricing was definitely there. Moreover, in regions like the EU, we saw AMD’s RX 9070 SKUs retailing for way above MSRP pricing, similar to what we saw with NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series, which is definitely disappointing, but it seems like AMD’s rebate system is to be blamed.
For a quick background check, AMD’s RDNA 4 GPUs came into production in late 2024, with AIBs acquiring GPU dies from AMD and selling their finished units to retailers at “assumed” prices. In most cases, these prices are higher than what Team Red expects the GPUs to launch at, but in the case of this launch, the MSRPs were lower than what AIBs had in mind. To compensate for this, the firm launched its rebate plan, which means that the firm adjusts the pricing difference by refunding retailers based on units sold or the prices being offered to the general consumer.
According to Hardware Unboxed, retailers were expecting the RX 9070 series to drop in the $700 price segment, which probably makes the retail price leaks we saw previously justified in this case. With this, AMD is offering an almost $100 rebate per unit in order to sustain MSRP pricing for its consumers. Now, with this launch, the rebate system is apparently confined to specific variants, likely the base models, which provide the perception that RDNA 4 is available at MSRP, but in fact, most of the mainstream models are above the set prices.
Since retailers have stockpiled higher-end variants at higher prices, they are forced to sell GPUs at above MSRPs. We recently reported on how models like the Sapphire Pulse edition are retailing at $699 in the US, justifying the point that MSRP is only limited to lower-end variants. In addition, AMD is providing rebates on “selected units” of the base models, which further confines the scope of the incentive and creates disparities among retailers, as firms like MicroCenter will see a higher rebatable stock than anyone in the EU.
While AMD has refuted MSRP being “launch-exclusive” prices, it seems like the upcoming shipments will already be priced higher than current SKUs, potentially marking a $100+ difference among all models. So, it is safe to say that the pricing situation will only get troublesome from hereon. Team Red has expressed intentions that they are working to ensure that MSRPs remain consistent across all retailers, but this isn’t happening.
When you factor in the fact that NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series launched so badly, the RX 9070, in its current state, does look a lot better. But the average consumer will still be at a disadvantage.
