RTX 3080 Ti Backlash, AMD's FidelityFX, and Tech Market Realities

RTX 3080 Ti Controversy and Market Context

This episode dives deep into the intense backlash surrounding the RTX 3080 Ti review produced by Linus Tech Tips. The hosts argue that much of the criticism ignores the current market reality of global supply shortages and the specific positioning of the product.

Understanding the Card's Positioning

• The RTX 3080 Ti was positioned as a budget-friendly alternative to the $1,500 RTX 3090 rather than a step up from the RTX 3080.
• The hosts maintain that it offers excellent performance for those actively shopping at that high-end price bracket.
• They distinguish between MSRP (a theoretical number often disregarded in the current market) and actual real-world availability and pricing.

"If you are a price sensitive buyer, I would go as far as to say that you should not be shopping for a top tier, absolute highest spec GPU."

AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution

The show discusses the announcement of FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), an upscaling feature designed to compete with NVIDIA’s DLSS.

• Unlike DLSS, which relies on AI and machine learning models, FSR uses a hybrid upscaling approach.
• Being open and developer-driven, it works on a wide array of hardware, including older GPUs and competing cards.
• The hosts express some skepticism regarding image quality compared to DLSS without further independent testing.

Hardware and Corporate News

AMD APUs

The release of the 5600G and 5700G CPUs is met with enthusiasm, as these chips offer decent integrated Vega graphics, providing a functional solution for users in a market where dedicated GPUs are nearly impossible to purchase at reasonable prices.

Cyber Projekt Red Data Leak

They briefly touch upon the public availability of CD Projekt Red source code and SDKs following a previous data breach, reiterating that despite the illicit nature of these materials, the data is technically valuable.

Intel's 'Beast Canyon' NUC

There is a debate over whether the Beast Canyon NUC still adheres to the original Next Unit of Computing philosophy, given its significantly larger, 8-liter physical footprint.