NVIDIA GPU Sales, GameStop-Microsoft Deal & Tech News
NVIDIA GPU Availability and Strategy
The landscape for buying RTX 3000 series cards has shifted significantly. NVIDIA has decided to stop selling Founders Edition cards directly on their website due to persistent issues with bots and scalpers.
Why Founders Edition Matters
• Premium Quality: Unlike reference cards of the past, RTX 3000 Founders Edition cards are highly engineered, premium products with superior thermal solutions.
• Competitive Pressure: Linus argues that NVIDIA may have given themselves an unfair advantage by keeping board partners in the dark during the development of these advanced thermal solutions.
• Regional Availability: The shift to Best Buy exclusivity makes it extremely difficult for customers outside the US to purchase these specific cards.
The Microsoft-GameStop Strategic Partnership
Microsoft has entered a partnership with GameStop, which will receive a share of revenue from digital sales triggered by next-gen Xbox consoles sold at their stores.
"I think in Microsoft's best interest for that store to survive... It's basically a marketing exercise. A GameStop is a free billboard."
- Long-term Strategy: Rather than a simple financial play, this seems to be about maintaining a physical presence to market console ecosystems.
- Industry Context: The deal includes using Microsoft’s cloud and tablet solutions, potentially helping GameStop's survival while securing a dedicated retail partner for Microsoft's console-as-a-service model.
Additional Tech Highlights
- iPhone 12 Launch: Apple’s new lineup features the A14 Bionic, a 5nm chip that is extremely fast. The inclusion of MagSafe is a point of debate, particularly regarding potential screen damage.
- DriveSavers Drama Update: Linus addressed the allegations that DriveSavers took credit for a third-party data recovery technique. He confirmed they will not be working with DriveSavers moving forward due to the "he said, she said" nature of the conflict, emphasizing a commitment to a "drama-free" work environment.