NVIDIA’s debut of the RTX 40 SUPER series GPUs during CES 2024 grabbed the industry’s attention, especially with the RTX 4070 SUPER entering the market at the competitive price of $599. Despite this attractive pricing and its approximately 9% to 13% performance increase over the RTX 4070, the launch sales have been disappointing.
According to inside sources speaking with the channel Moore’s Law Is Dead, the RTX 4070 SUPER’s market performance has been tepid. One source from a prominent US retailer suggested that sales were “very low,” even stating that they were “better than the RTX 4080,” although that isn’t saying much. To recall, reports from November 2022 highlighted the poor sales performance of the RTX 4080. It seems the RTX 4070 SUPER might be suffering a similar fate.
An additional cause for concern is that only graphics cards priced at MSRP seem to be moving off the shelves. Add-in board (AIB) variants with prices exceeding $600 are reportedly being ignored by consumers. Confirming the trend, another retail source revealed a stark contrast in consumer interest: while the forthcoming RTX 4080 SUPER already had a handful of preorders, the RTX 4070 SUPER couldn’t pique consumer interest.
An AIB insider described the RTX 4070 SUPER’s sales as “a DISASTER,” voicing frustration over difficulties in selling higher-priced AIB models while NVIDIA continues selling Founders Edition models at the base MSRP on its website. This competition between NVIDIA and its AIB partners echoes past tensions that led notable manufacturer EVGA to exit the GPU marketplace.
A staggering example of waning interest came from a smaller retailer who declined a shipment of 200 AIB RTX 4070 SUPER cards. With many priced between $620 to $650, the retailer doubted the ability to entice gamers to spend over $600 on a 12GB GPU in the current year. This sentiment seems warranted as a quick browse on Newegg shows an abundance of RTX 4070 SUPER cards lingering in the over $620 price bracket, with some hitting the $650 mark.
In an unprecedented turn, the RTX 4070 SUPER’s lack of demand is leading even scalpers to cancel their orders, contributing to an unusual surplus of Founders Edition models potentially becoming available for direct purchase.
Although the RTX 4070 SUPER has only just launched, the current indicators point toward a less than successful debut. Nonetheless, given the recentness of the release, skepticism surrounding these early reports is advisable.
As time unfolds, the true reception and success of the RTX 4070 SUPER in the market will become clearer, providing a more conclusive understanding of its impact and NVIDIA’s market strategy.
Article contributed by Fawad Murtaza, who brings a rich background in technology reporting and a long-standing passion for the tech industry to his role as a Senior Tech Writer. With over 667 articles published since joining Notebookcheck in 2021, Fawad continues to share his insights derived from a lifelong interaction with technology.
