AMD's RX 6500 XT may not be the most coveted desktop graphics card launched this year, but it is still in such short supply that even scalpers are struggling to get their hands on it. The latest development is yet another example of how bad things have been for gamers and DIY PC builders over the past couple of years, with a crippling graphics card shortage making it almost impossible to buy a decent GPU at an honest price.
The lack of availability of GPUs is a direct result of the ongoing chip shortage and the cryptocurrency boom that have combined to create a perfect storm for PC gamers and enthusiasts. Rampant scalping and price gouging are preventing end-users from getting their hands on their favorite graphics cards but even scalpers are now apparently finding it hard to get the cards themselves.
AMD launched its Radeon RX 6500 XT GPU earlier this week at an MSRP of $199. However, nobody expected the card to be available at that price to end-users, and that's exactly how things have turned over the past few days. The cards have remained in short supply, which would normally mean that scalpers are having a field day selling them at a premium. However, as spotted by Tom's Hardware, only a handful of scalpers are offering it on eBay at extravagant prices, which suggests that even they are having a hard time getting their hands on them. The situation would have been hilarious had it not been so disappointing for gamers and PC enthusiasts around the world.
The RX 6500 XT Has Been Universally Panned
The RX 6500 XT has been the subject of much derision and mockery from gamers and the tech media alike ever since it was launched earlier this week. The card comes with only 4GB of VRAM, even though AMD had trashed cards with 4GB RAM a couple of years back. Interestingly, following the launch of its new 4GB card, the company seemingly took down that post where Radeon marketing specialist Adit Bhutani claimed "4GB of VRAM ... is evidently not enough for today's games."
As for the card itself, it has been panned almost universally by gamers and reviewers for its poor performance. As pointed out by the Tom's Hardware review, the RX 6500 XT struggles to hold its own in terms of raw specs against the RX 570, a graphics card that was launched back in 2017 for $169. Overall, the RX 6500 XT is hardly the $200 graphics card that anyone would have considered buying in 2022 under normal circumstances. However, these are extraordinary times in more ways than one, and even such an underwhelming product is now in short supply. Things can only improve from here on.