GeForce GPUs Are "Gross" Now, AI Taking Over: Steve & Steve Discuss

Summary

In this Hardware Nexus video, the host is joined by Steve from Gamers Nexus to discuss the evolving landscape of the PC hardware industry. They delve into the impact of AI on GeForce GPUs, the rising prices of high-end components, and the concerns of the DIY PC community. The conversation also touches on how companies interact with tech influencers, addressing past conflicts and the importance of honest feedback for product improvement. The discussion highlights the need for transparency and the changing dynamics between tech companies and content creators.

Takeaways

• 🎥 The video is a collaboration between Hardware Nexus and Gamers Nexus, featuring Steve from Gamers Nexus.
• 💰 There is a discussion on the financial aspects of the tech industry, with references to 'real money' and 'imaginary investor money'.
• 🌷 The script mentions a comparison to 'Tulip Mania', suggesting a potential bubble in the market, especially related to AI and cryptocurrency.
• 🚗 The conversation touches on the shift of Nvidia's focus from GeForce GPUs towards more expensive products and the impact on the DIY PC market.
• 💡 Steve expresses concern about the evolution of Nvidia's product line and the potential neglect of lower-end consumers.
• 💎 The high cost of Nvidia's RTX 4090 is mentioned, alongside the even higher prices of H100 accelerators for AI and data centers.
• 🤔 There's a debate on whether gamers are entitled to expect continued support and innovation from Nvidia, considering their past support for the company.
• 🔨 The video discusses how tech companies are evolving their relationships with YouTubers and the media, with examples of companies like ASRock and Intel adjusting their strategies.
• 🔍 The importance of separating engineering discussions from product reviews is highlighted, as well as the value of having technical experts on camera for in-depth analysis.
• 🔄 The script points out that companies are learning from past mistakes, such as blacklisting reviewers, and are now more open to feedback and criticism.
• 📈 The video concludes with a positive note on the changes in how companies like Intel are engaging with the tech community, including putting engineers on camera for detailed discussions.

Q & A

What is the main topic of discussion between the hosts in the video?

The main topic of discussion is the evolution of the GeForce brand and its focus on AI, as well as the impact of this shift on the DIY PC market and gamers.

What is the concern expressed by the hosts regarding NVIDIA's product strategy?

The hosts express concern that NVIDIA is moving towards more expensive products, potentially neglecting the lower-end market and leaving gamers with fewer affordable options.

What is the 'tulip Mania' reference in the context of the discussion?

The 'tulip Mania' reference is used to describe a situation where there is a speculative bubble, similar to the historical event where tulip prices skyrocketed due to frenzied speculation, suggesting that the current AI hype might be overblown.

How does the script mention the relationship between NVIDIA and the gaming community?

The script suggests that there might be some tension between NVIDIA and the gaming community, as gamers feel that NVIDIA is prioritizing AI and high-end products over their needs.

What is the significance of the RTX 4090 pricing in the discussion?

The RTX 4090's high price point is highlighted as an example of NVIDIA's shift towards more expensive products, which may not be accessible to all gamers.

What is the role of the H100 accelerator in the context of the video?

The H100 accelerator is mentioned as a product that is significantly more expensive than gaming GPUs, suggesting that NVIDIA's focus might be shifting towards such high-value products.

What is the hosts' opinion on companies evolving their approach to dealing with YouTubers?

The hosts believe that companies are slowly evolving and realizing that ignoring feedback or criticism is not beneficial, and that genuine engagement with creators can lead to positive changes.

How does the script discuss the importance of separating engineering discussions from product reviews?

The script emphasizes that good media should separate engineering discussions from product reviews to maintain objectivity, allowing for in-depth technical conversations without being influenced by personal biases towards a product.

What is the hosts' view on companies launching products with slightly modified names but different specifications?

The hosts express disapproval of this practice, as it can be misleading to consumers and create confusion in the market.

What is the significance of the MSI and thermal Grizzly sponsorships mentioned in the script?

The sponsorships are significant as they provide financial support for the video content, and the script also promotes their products, such as MSI's GeForce RTX 40 series gaming slim graphics cards and thermal Grizzly's high-performance graphite thermal pad.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 GeForce Brand and AI Dominance

In this segment, the hosts discuss the shift in focus from GeForce GPUs to AI technology. They express concern over the high-end market direction of Nvidia, with the RTX 4090 being seen as prohibitively expensive for gamers. The conversation touches on the disparity between the cost of consumer GPUs and the much higher prices of AI accelerators, such as the H100. There's also a critique of Nvidia's marketing approach, hinting at a sense of disdain for the traditional gaming audience.

05:02

🤔 The Evolution of Company-YouTuber Relations

This paragraph delves into the evolving relationship between tech companies and YouTubers, particularly in the context of product feedback and criticism. The hosts share anecdotes about companies like ASRock and Asus, discussing how they have responded to negative reviews by either blacklisting or engaging more constructively with creators. There's an emphasis on the importance of maintaining objectivity despite any strained relationships and the need for companies to address feedback genuinely.

10:03

🔧 Responding to Feedback: The Role of Engineers

The conversation turns to how companies are adapting to feedback from the tech community, with a focus on the role of engineers. The hosts appreciate when companies allow their engineers to engage directly with creators on camera, discussing technical aspects of products openly. They highlight Intel's shift towards a more transparent approach, putting engineers in the spotlight to discuss product design and improvements, which is seen as a positive development in the industry.

15:04

📚 Wrapping Up: Reflections on Industry Changes

In the final paragraph, the hosts reflect on their experiences at Computex and the changes they've observed in the tech industry. They share personal anecdotes about meeting industry peers and the excitement of reporting on new tech developments. There's a light-hearted moment where one host jokingly suggests directing all negative feedback to the other's channel for the sake of mental health, ending the discussion on a humorous note.

Keywords

💡Hardware Nexus

Hardware Nexus is the name of the show being discussed in the script. It is a platform where topics related to computer hardware are explored. The video's theme revolves around discussions with Steve from Gamers Nexus, indicating a focus on technology and hardware reviews.

💡Gamers Nexus

Gamers Nexus is a well-known source for computer hardware reviews and news, often focusing on gaming-related hardware. In the script, Steve from Gamers Nexus is a guest, suggesting that the video will cover topics pertinent to the gaming hardware community.

💡GeForce

GeForce is a brand of graphics processing units (GPUs) made by Nvidia, used in gaming and professional markets. The script discusses the perception that GeForce GPUs are taking a back seat to AI technology, indicating a shift in the industry's focus.

💡AI (Artificial Intelligence)

AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines. The script mentions 'AI nonsense,' suggesting a debate or discussion about the real value and hype surrounding AI in the context of GPU usage and development.

💡RTX 4090

The RTX 4090 is a high-end graphics card from Nvidia, part of the RTX 40 series. It is mentioned in the script as an example of a 'hideously expensive product,' highlighting the cost concerns in the GPU market.

💡Wafer

A wafer in the context of the script refers to the thin slice of semiconductor material on which multiple integrated circuits are fabricated. The cost of these wafers and how they are used in creating GPUs like the RTX 4090 is a point of discussion, indicating the high costs of production.

💡HBM (High Bandwidth Memory)

HBM is a type of memory used in GPUs and other high-performance computing devices. The script mentions 80 GB of HBM memory, emphasizing the advanced and costly components used in modern GPUs.

💡Thermals

Thermals refer to the heat management aspects of a computer component. The script discusses how companies are evolving to address thermal issues, indicating a growing concern for cooling solutions in hardware design.

💡YouTubers

YouTubers are content creators on the YouTube platform. The script talks about how companies are evolving their relationships with YouTubers, suggesting a discussion on the influence of online video content on consumer decisions and company strategies.

💡Blacklisting

In the script, blacklisting refers to a company's decision to stop engaging with certain content creators due to past disagreements or negative reviews. This is an example of how companies might react to criticism in the tech community.

💡Intel

Intel is a major technology company known for its processors. The script mentions Intel as an example of a company that has evolved its approach to engaging with the tech community, specifically by putting engineers on camera for discussions.

💡Rockstar CEO

The term 'rockstar CEO' is used to describe a charismatic and influential company leader, like Jensen Huang of Nvidia. The script contrasts this with traditional, more reserved corporate leaders, indicating a shift in corporate representation.

💡Discret MOSFET

Discrete MOSFET refers to the use of individual, separate MOSFETs on a motherboard for power regulation, as opposed to integrated solutions. The script criticizes companies that release non-discrete MOSFET boards and then later release discrete versions, suggesting a tactic to manage product reviews and market positioning.

Highlights

Introduction of MSI's new GeForce RTX 40 series gaming slim graphics cards with advanced cooling and performance features.

Discussion on the impact of AI on GeForce GPUs and the perception of a shift in focus from traditional gaming to AI applications.

Concerns about the pricing and availability of GeForce GPUs, especially the high-end models, and their impact on DIY PC enthusiasts.

Analysis of NVIDIA's strategy moving towards more expensive GPUs and the potential implications for lower-end consumers.

Steve's perspective on the high cost of RTX 4090 and the comparison with other expensive products like H100 accelerators.

Jensen Huang's on-stage comments about the difference between gamer GPUs and real GPUs, indicating a shift in NVIDIA's focus.

Debate on whether gamers are entitled to expect high-quality, affordable GPUs from NVIDIA, given their past support.

Reflection on the evolution of NVIDIA from a gaming-focused company to one that now also caters to the AI and data center markets.

The role of YouTubers in influencing company strategies and the challenges of maintaining objectivity in reviews.

ASRock's past blacklisting of reviewers and the recent re-establishment of communication with them.

The importance of companies responding to feedback and criticism, especially in the context of product design and quality.

Examples of companies like Intel and NVIDIA putting engineers on camera to discuss technical aspects of their products.

The positive change in companies becoming more comfortable with transparency and open discussions about their products.

The strategy of companies launching non-TR motherboards at entry levels and then releasing discrete MOSFET boards later.

Concerns about companies changing product names slightly to avoid negative associations while maintaining similar products.

Final thoughts on the evolving relationship between tech companies and YouTubers, and the importance of honest feedback.

Transcripts

[Music]

welcome back to Hardware Nexus it's

happened it has happened I finally have

Steve from Gamers Nexus here so thank

you for joining me and we have we've

merged we have merged we are in the

same room I don't know what that means

for your reality but things are getting

wild over here so we have some

interesting topics that I would like to

discuss with Steve but before we do the

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the video description all right Steve

first question hope you're ready I am

what do you think about the GeForce

brand I guess GeForce gpus taking a back

seat to all this AI nonsense and I've

said it I've said it for you yes uh

first of all clearly money is the answer

and I I don't know how much of it is

like so there's definitely some real

money in there but there's also a lot of

imaginary investor money you know of

like I yeah that's that's interesting

yeah like the uh I mean it's it's liquid

from someone but it's kind of I I I

don't know let me just preface this I

don't know what I'm talking about with

economics I'm making all this up good uh

my feeling is that it it really seems

like we've gotten to that almost like

tulip Mania like level and there's

absolutely real use cases but currently

it's like the crypto stuff

I don't remember examples from years ago

from other things like this just shove

it into

everything and so yeah GeForce takes

back seat um I I think from the DIY PC

side of things uh really my concern is

just how does that evolve for the lower

end because it really feels like Nvidia

is migrating more and more towards super

expensive or at least kind of you know

like the Super Series right it's kind of

high yeah yeah if you can't afford it

tough luck type deal yeah so yeah you're

you will have 8 gabt of vram

indefinitely yes and you'll be happy

with it yes you'll enjoy that yeah so I

mean what about you so GeForce taking a

backy I think that is like completely

valid to say yeah it's it's a it's

exactly what's happening and as you say

there's reasons for it like that are out

of our control so it's like it's sort of

separating our feelings about it from

the reality of the situation so uh when

we were talking about this with the the

team the other day so you've got an RTX

4090 which for gamers that is a

hideously expensive product and people

are sort of outraged by that $1600 us

MSRP that was $2,000 for a lot of that

so that's hideously expensive but it's

actually really cheap in terms of what

they're selling these Wafers for once

they cut up into dies because what is it

an h100 accelerator is like is that

$40,000 you if I remember so I don't

remember which one was the what the

price was most recently but I think the

numbers I remember from that whatever

the bank was that kind of published some

findings so it's like 30 40K for the

lower end one yes and then the higher

end depending on configuration was like

80 plus or something so that's wild and

I think the actual portion of the wafer

that those D are taking up is only like

30% more than an RTX 490 I believe that

it's something like that it's not well

on the on stage I don't know if uh if

you caught this part or not I saw your

um video thumbnail and title so maybe

but the on stage when Jensen at one

point he picked up the it looked like a

480 super and he said something along

lines of this is a gamer GPU but as we

all know like this is a real GPU and

show you it just get that toy out of

here disgusts me I don't know how much

he met it that way but it definitely

felt like oo

ow gamer is gross I mean he there is

some disdain there like they're like you

are always unhappy you're always winging

and your stuff's worth nothing get it

out of here like there is a bit of that

going on and look when I talk about you

know 30% more wafer space there's like

80 gab of hbm memory there and Inter

poses and things so it's more expensive

to produce but it's nowhere near what

they're charging for it so for a

business side of things shareholders

perspective like I get it like I I get

why they've gone in that direction

and aidable let me ask this are we just

entitled are you know like care about me

Nvidia they I'm looking up not because

but they were actually staying there so

Nvidia I I know you're watching me from

your Ivory Tower you're going to need

a sorry for creating b-roll work for for

your team uh you is is it entitled

though who I me you're what are you

doing to me St I'm just being Reddit

this is I'm just preempting the comments

oh boy there's there's a lot to unpack

here so I mean Gamers probably feel like

they helped get inv video to where they

are that's great so so I think to say

they're being

entitled is obviously unfair and harsh

because if you've supported a company

especially okay let's I'll be serious

for a second if you're if you've been

buying GeForce gpus and you're like I

only buy gForce radon sucks for reasons

that make sense to me I'm buying GeForce

every generation and you do that and

then you get to a point where you

realize this company's like showing

these gpus you've been buying and loving

and cherishing all these years like

cheap crap get

$40,000 I I can see why that would annoy

you deeply uh in a sense that may make

you appear entitled to be able to have

this new great architecture delivered to

you so I think from that perspective

it's it's warranted really I think

that's that's probably the best answer I

could think of for that where it's cuz

it it's not even you're phrasing you you

soften the phrasing a little bit but

like the helped them get here I think

it's like got them here you know like

sure yep that's fair for the longest

time it was it was gaming you look at

Jensen left SGI and when he left it was

because of SGI to my understanding of

the situation didn't think consumer gpus

were realistic you know and so here

comes Nvidia and consumer GPS build the

company they are today so I that answer

makes sense to me yeah it it does um I

don't know how else to put it really but

yeah that that's fair enough all right

we'll move on to another question I'll

just read this one off my phone because

I don't want to mess this one up so the

next segment I want to talk about how do

you think companies are evolving to deal

with YouTubers not to put us on a

pedestal or anything but you not to put

us on a bigger pedestal sure there's

been incidents so I think you know what

I mean by that uh and we've had certain

companies I'll say it like azrock

blacklisted both of us for a point of

time I don't know where you're at with

them but uh I don't

either no insight there uh I think it

was some period last year they just

reached out again hey we so

communication opened back up and so that

was interesting and then obviously we've

seen stuff um especially with you guys

with companies like Asus EK not asking

you to talk specifically on any of them

but just in general how do you think

they're evolving or Chang or if they

even are I think the yeah the first

thing I would look at is like is it

different from a from written Tech media

and I think conceptually it shouldn't be

but it does feel like it sometimes I

mean you wrote before as well right and

I wrote for many years before and it was

it was hard to even convey those stories

in written form with all the information

and and video and images you want to

show it's harder to paint the picture

and then you just don't end up getting

the reach you get like articles don't

really go viral do they in the way that

videos go viral so I think that's a big

component of it yeah that's a big one

and then so have how have they evolved I

mean I think for ASRock if I remember

correctly it was like

Z three it might have been three or five

for us where they were really upset

about us okay for um vrm discussion of

some kind yep and uh if I remember

correctly I think we had like a an

actually pretty positive piece around

the same time and then we the negative

one so positive was first and then

negative and they're like all right

that's it we didn't know it worked this

way you know like no more uh so I don't

know if that's like an evolution for

YouTube or not but it's it's that is not

the correct way to evolve because then

it just for me you know we try to stay

as I'm sure you do as as uh objective or

neutral as we can even with a bad

relationship with a company but when

there's a bad relationship you can't

completely separate it and it it starts

to uh it it will influence how you look

at the problem so if the problem I'm

having with the company is I think

there's a chance they're misleading me

here and there's a history of them doing

that in the same way obviously you know

you look at it differently yeah you're

hesitant to recommend their products

because if they're doing that to you

it's like how well do they look after

their loyal customers that's the concern

is cuz it's like it's you know it's um

if they are if the company is willing to

mislead

media

uh and it's able to try and kind of

twist or change a story then it it does

come down to how do they treat everybody

especially processes so not just the

product level stuff where product

marketing is one thing but the support

after it is the big thing we're

concerned about now how do how are they

responding I'll give a couple concrete

examples so I I'll say for the case

industry this wasn't like exposing or

whatever uh a behavior it was just

talking about a product design decisions

uh I will say that over the the past

years uh it feels like as users have

become more focused on The Thermals of

the product and as CPS GPS have gotten

hotter so they need to care more it

actually does seem like the case

companies have responded to feedback and

criticism and you know specifically at

shows uh you meet with the designers you

realize it it's maybe one person who

designed this thing and they're

genuinely listening to what people say

and they're genuinely trying to improve

on it uh and the the best interactions

for me are when those designers say hey

we took this feedback and this feedback

we disagree with you on this here's good

reasons why you know like that's how the

relationship should be yeah yeah

absolutely because then we can adjust

okay maybe these are actually reasonable

um so I'd say that's a concrete example

of something good but there's plenty of

instances where uh that doesn't happen

absolutely with the cases we've seen a

similar thing with the motherboard ver I

feel like you carried the torch with

that with buildzoid initially and we

sort of picked it up a bit uh

and obviously asrock's back now because

they realized that wasn't the

blacklisting harbor unboxed and uh

Gamers Nexus probably wasn't the play

for sales and I think they saw that they

and they look they've said to me at the

show like of the b650 MH DV which we

recommended cheap motherboard they're

like we we can't sell it quick enough I

was I actually asked about it cuz it was

one of the only b650 boards they had on

show I thought that's weird they've got

their like most entry level b650 board

at comput it's like oh it's it's our

best seller it's a it's it's a great

board I mean that's good you know CU a

lot of times the companies will only

show the the best stuff MH but what I've

seen them doing or at least it looks

like that's what they're doing they're

now launching all the non-tr boards at

the entry level and they're saying yeah

and then they wait a couple of months

once the roundups are done and they

sneak out the discret mosfet boards that

are power limited and run like crap and

then we have to buy them all and retest

them so that's not great thing to see

but it's a strategy that I think that

will work but it's not going to we will

get you yeah no changing changing stuff

or even like changing a product and then

slightly modifying the name you know is

not good either cuz cuz then you get the

the doubling up of uh we technically

changed the name right like like the

1030 with yeah right and so it's like

you you put D4 at the end of this huge

skew technically different name but

super misleading so yeah so I I get the

impression they are slowly evolving if

you can put it that way they're they're

working out that putting their head in

the sand or just ignoring that that

feedback or criticism is not the play uh

that that doesn't help at all I think

there's genuine hope so the biggest

change I've seen I'll use Intel as an

example here Intel is such a huge

company and it behaves in huge company

ways like traditional huge company so

like you look at Nvidia it's really

interesting where Jensen's almost like

become this rock star you know like that

we're in this era of the concept of a a

rockstar CEO instead of a a boring dude

who is maybe kind of a business

background right so the Silicon nerds

now rock star okay well and you look at

the keynote you look at I mean I'm sure

you've seen like what he's gotten

popular for here and he's definitely

kind of Rockstar status but intel was so

traditional and it's it's it was very

reserved it was very conservative with

who it might provide to put on camera uh

for the longest time they were scared of

having discussions uh on camera not

scared in like they've done something

wrong but like the biggest change I've

seen for them in terms of responding to

the YouTube environment specifically and

not just written is they've finally at

least with us gotten comfortable with

putting Engineers on camera cuz for

years we've said like hey we'd love to

talk about this thing it can't be a

marketing person uh or if it is they

have to be really technical you know and

um so they've gotten good about okay Tom

Peterson will come talk about this

in-depth stuff and um Nvidia has one of

their guys doing latency discussion uh

Malcolm does thermal and acoustic I

would say that's the biggest positive

change where they've realized for us and

I think probably for you you know good

media will try to compartmentalize stuff

like an engineering discussion from a

product review yeah so like if I hate

the recent product that doesn't mean we

can't talk about engineering right so I

would say that's a a positive change

yeah okay all right well I think I won't

take up any more of uh Steve's time here

because you've probably got 10,000 other

things you're running there's two

there's two Steve's times mostly this

Steve's time GN Steve I'm going to go

put my feet up Let the editors do their

thing have a

drink you just run around oh yeah uh so

I'm I'm impressed to find it's been

about three comput Texas now we've I've

tried to pin you down I encountered you

at the I think it was the MSI thing for

the first for like laptops for the first

time yeah yeah so that I met you at that

that was massive waste of time at the

event other than meeting you and a

couple other people MS our sponsor it

was a great time we had a l it was great

I loved that event it was the best event

best of times uh I'll take uh I'll take

a cut of that later yeah I you were

running away from the event only briefly

said high as you were running I think

you were so excited by what you saw that

you had to get out of there because you

wanted to go report on it oh yeah

immediately okay there that's good good

job uh so yes no good to catch up with

you good to uh film this segment and

obviously we filmed something on Steve's

Channel as well game is next to Steve uh

so not about myself in third person

sometimes I do that I'm that way

inclined natural yeah when I I've said I

don't know if I've said this in a video

or not every now and then so I'll pull

up one of your videos like about the

Intel power stuff cuz I wasn't covering

that so I was following yours and I was

scrolling through the comments and there

was some comments that were they were

being they weren't being particularly

nice or reasonable towards you no and so

I I like walked away and I came back and

the comments were still on my screen I

was like but I didn't say that I

realized that was on your video so well

if you guys want to say stuff that I

said on Steve's Channel Direct all from

now on all negative feedback on our

Chanel post on Gamers Nexus and that

would be good for my mental health maybe

yeah it'll be great for

mine

sorry so uh this is probably the last

time that I get together with stepen

uh but yeah that's that's pretty much

going to do it for this one I had a lot

of fun hopefully you guys enjoy the

content and we'll see you in some more

soon goodbye

[Music]

[Music]