Fin du support des anciennes cartes graphiques AMD: quelles conséquences pour les joueurs PC?

📚 Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Dark Times for PC Gamers
   • The Scalper Pandemic
   • The Importance of Back Catalogue GPUs
3. The End of Support for Kepler
   • Lack of Support for Kepler
   • Disappointing Loss of Compatibility
4. Farewell to GCNs 1-3
   • AMD's Move Away from GCN
   • Implications for Radeon Series
5. The Nature of Business
   • Phasing Out 8th Gen Consoles
   • Declining Benefit for Old Architectures
6. The Cry for Modern, Inexpensive Options
   • Unwillingness or Inability to Supply
   • The Dilemma for Budget Gamers
7. The Limits of AMD's Support
   • Limited Options for AMD's Support
   • Performance Discrepancies in Available Options
8. Personal Impact and Future Changes
   • Impact on Content Creation
   • Reflecting on the Past, Looking Ahead
9. Conclusion

# 📢 Dark Times for PC Gamers

The past few months have been particularly challenging for PC gamers, and the situation can largely be attributed to the Scalper Pandemic. Amidst this chaos, one silver lining has been the availability of old-but-gold GPUs like Nvidia's Kepler and AMD's powerful GCN architecture, allowing gamers to stay budget-conscious in 2021 and beyond. However, it is time to address some recent developments that have left the gaming community concerned.

## The End of Support for Kepler

Nvidia's recent announcement stating that Kepler GPUs will no longer receive future driver updates may not come as a complete surprise. Many users have consistently felt that Kepler was inadequately supported right from the beginning, as Nvidia promptly shifted its focus towards the Maxwell architecture. While it is disappointing to see expensive cards like the 770, 780 Ti, and the first-gen Titan becoming obsolete, what comes as a bigger shock is AMD's decision to bid farewell to GCNs 1 to 3. This means that the Radeon HD 7000 series, 200 series, and 300 series will no longer receive software support in the future, potentially leading to compatibility issues similar to those faced by the HD 6000 series today. The promise of GPUs getting better with time now appears to be too good to be true.

## The Nature of Business

From a business perspective, the decision to phase out support for old architectures is understandable, especially since the 8th gen consoles are also being phased out. Continuing to allocate resources towards software development for outdated architectures would gradually diminish the benefits for the manufacturers. While encouraging gamers to utilize their old cards can be seen as a positive approach for consumers, it poses a significant challenge to the bottom line of both AMD and Nvidia. Unfortunately, this situation leaves the gaming community in a quandary, wondering what options are available.

## The Cry for Modern, Inexpensive Options

For gamers with a budget ranging from £100-200, or the local currency equivalent, the lack of affordable options supported by AMD is disheartening. Some Nvidia partners attempted to reintroduce refurbished Pascal and Turing cards, but these too fell prey to scalpers. In the used market, there is a degree of confidence in purchasing a GTX 9 series or lower-end 10 series card, knowing that it will continue to be supported for some time. However, the range of suitable options from AMD seems scarce. An RX 460, which is priced between £80-100, appears to offer performance similar to an R9 270, making it less appealing to gamers. Moving up the price range, the gap to the 4GB RX 470 is substantial, with the cheapest available priced at around £140 and potentially reaching close to £180. The limited options coupled with the inflated prices place gamers in a difficult position.

## Personal Impact and Future Changes

As a content creator, these recent developments have significant personal implications. Previously, my videos focused on praising the capabilities of the R9 200 cards, which were highly regarded by viewers. However, with the retirement of these cards, the tone of my future videos will naturally change. Consequently, I have planned a series of videos titled "Goodbye Kepler" for the upcoming month, and a retrospective on GCN for the subsequent month. I sincerely hope that viewers who followed my recommendations do not feel let down. While the performance of R9 270Xs, 280s, and 290Xs in modern games may remain satisfactory for a while, there is a risk that future updates, particularly for live service games like Fortnite and Apex Legends, could negatively impact performance on these affected GPUs. It's a challenging time for all of us.

## Conclusion

In conclusion, the current situation for PC gamers is indeed bleak. The lack of availability and support for affordable, modern GPUs has left gamers in a state of perplexity. While it is understandable for manufacturers to focus their efforts on new architectures, the frustration and disappointment felt by the gaming community cannot be dismissed. As gamers eagerly await a viable and pocket-friendly solution, only time will reveal what the future holds.

Highlights

• The struggle faced by PC gamers in recent months amidst the Scalper Pandemic.
• The end of support for Nvidia's Kepler GPUs and AMD's GCNs 1 to 3, leading to compatibility concerns.
• The impacts of business decisions on the availability of affordable, modern GPUs.
• The limited options for budget gamers seeking AMD's support.
• The personal implications for content creators and the need for a shift in future video content.
• The ongoing uncertainty and the hope for a better future for PC gamers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Why are Kepler GPUs no longer receiving future driver updates? A: Nvidia has prioritized its focus on newer architectures like Maxwell, leading to the discontinuation of support for Kepler.

Q: Will older AMD GPUs be affected by the lack of software support? A: Yes, GCN 1 to 3 GPUs, including the Radeon HD 7000 series, 200 series, and 300 series, will no longer receive software updates, which may result in compatibility issues.

Q: Are there any affordable options for budget gamers in the current GPU market? A: The options for budget gamers seeking AMD's support are limited, with significant performance discrepancies and inflated prices.

Q: How will content creators adapt to the changing GPU landscape? A: Content creators will need to adjust their content to reflect the retirement of older GPUs, leading to changes in their future videos.

Q: Is there hope for a better future for PC gamers? A: While the current situation may seem challenging, there is always the possibility of new, affordable, and accessible GPU options in the future.