The Frustrating Truth: AMD Radeon RX 6800 Launch Day Debacle

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. The Frustrating Experience of Launch Day
3. The Importance of Transparent Communication
4. The Unique Perspective of a Consumer
5. Comparisons with Previous Launches
6. The Truth about Reference Model Cards
7. testing and Benchmark Results
8. Synthetic Benchmarks
9. Gaming Benchmarks at Different Resolutions
10. Is the AMD Radeon RX 6800 Worth It?
11. Conclusion

The Frustrating Experience of Launch Day

🙄 The Night Before the AMD Radeon RX 6800 Launch

Here I am again, guys. It's the night before the much-anticipated launch of the AMD Radeon RX 6800 and 6800 XT. I find myself in line at Micro Center, eagerly waiting for the store to open. But the rumor circulating is that there are only 10 RX 6800s and 2 RX 6800 XTs available at this particular location. Can this be considered a true launch? I highly doubt it.

😡 Another Disappointing Launch

Welcome to Elevated Systems, I'm your host CJ. After spending another night camping out in front of Micro Center in Denver, I missed out on the initial 12 cards the store had in stock upon opening. I waited for an hour for a truck to arrive, only to find out that it had no cards on it. But I persevered, braving the cold until a Second truck showed up. This time, there were 10 more cards, and I managed to secure an AMD Radeon RX 6800. Before I dive into the card and the benchmarks, let's take a moment to talk about this so-called launch or "non-launch."

❌ A Failed Launch

As a normal consumer with a small tech Channel on YouTube, I believe I have a unique perspective on this whole debacle. And in my little corner of the world, this launch was an absolute failure. This wasn't my first time camping out for a highly anticipated product. I did the same for the RTX 3080, but I was way back in line with about 80 people in front of me. However, they did manage to receive between 40 and 50 cards, and some lucky individuals were able to order online while waiting in line. When it came to the RTX 3070 launch, I learned my lesson and arrived much earlier, securing the 5600X as soon as the store opened. But there were limited stocks of the 5900X, and even a plane malfunction caused a significant delay in the distribution of the 3950X.

😤 Disappointment in AMD's Approach

Now we come to the RX 6000 series launch. I immediately drove to Micro Center after dinner, thinking I was in a good position. However, it turned out to be a disastrous launch, as they only received two RX 6800 XTs and ten RX 6800s. Later in the morning, they miraculously received two more XT's and eight more non-XT's on a FedEx truck. But the situation wasn't any better at other major retailers. B&H Photo and Best Buy stated that they didn't have any stock and had no idea when more would arrive. This lack of transparency and communication from AMD was what made this launch, in my opinion, the worst yet.

🤦‍♂️ Lack of Communication and Honesty

AMD, you've been making great strides with your products. Your Ryzen CPUs dominate the market, and with RDNA 2, you have the opportunity to do the same in the graphics space. But please, be honest with your consumer base. Acknowledge when you've made a mistake, and if there are limitations in the product availability at launch, communicate that clearly. Don't let us hear about these issues from random board partner representatives and then try to discredit the leaks when it's obvious they're true. A simple statement explaining the supply chain and component manufacturing issues would go a long way in managing expectations.

💔 Lessons Learned and Unfortunate Realities

This launch has left a bitter taste in my mouth. I may be lucky enough to have gotten my hands on an RX 6800, but many others are still waiting for a chance to purchase one. It's disheartening to see such limited stocks and the frustration it causes for consumers. The blame for this situation can't solely be placed on AMD; the overwhelming demand and supply chain challenges play a significant role. However, there are lessons to be learned and changes to be made for future product launches.

Continued in the article...