text
stringlengths
14
502
[1138.20 --> 1141.18] Most of this is fairly standard practice for a lot of different industries.
[1141.22 --> 1141.58] Yeah.
[1141.82 --> 1143.36] Depending on how it's done.
[1143.54 --> 1144.06] That's the thing.
[1144.06 --> 1152.80] So, the thing is that we get a lot of sort of feedback from our community that the perception is that we're sort of like friends of Nvidia.
[1153.52 --> 1156.94] But the reality of it is we're not friends with anybody.
[1157.60 --> 1160.88] We are a business, and we have business partnerships.
[1160.88 --> 1166.58] And from a product perspective, we like Nvidia products just fine.
[1167.26 --> 1175.68] From a sort of how we perceive their reputation within the industry, we have some misgivings.
[1175.80 --> 1178.44] Ones that we have brought to light in the past.
[1178.60 --> 1178.70] Yeah.
[1179.32 --> 1183.50] Particularly, actually, I think probably the most recent example is the 1060, 6 gig, and 3 gig.
[1183.72 --> 1185.50] That's an extremely recent example.
[1185.52 --> 1187.26] We didn't like the way they did that.
[1187.26 --> 1192.28] Well, I mean, like we mentioned at this show, but there's also the recent change to GeForce experience.
[1192.92 --> 1193.24] Yes.
[1193.30 --> 1194.34] We've also mentioned that.
[1194.40 --> 1197.56] Which was like, we put them on blast for that.
[1197.78 --> 1200.14] And I still don't install it, and I still don't recommend it.
[1200.14 --> 1213.02] And while I am not always at liberty to talk about, especially the sources of the frustration with Nvidia that takes place behind the scenes,
[1213.68 --> 1216.82] there's a lot of it that we're aware of, and there's a lot of arm twisting.
[1216.82 --> 1221.14] And, you know, think about it.
[1221.50 --> 1231.06] Nvidia is like the partner that stands there posing for a picture with you and has their foot on your toe.
[1231.48 --> 1233.04] Yeah, being like, smile properly.
[1234.08 --> 1234.30] Man.
[1234.70 --> 1237.50] That's the perception that I get a lot of the time.
[1237.52 --> 1238.16] By the way, everybody at Paxi's, come say hi.
[1238.16 --> 1244.34] So, let's continue reading about the GeForce promise here.
[1245.68 --> 1252.94] This transparency into what you're buying is only possible when Nvidia brands and partner brands are consistent.
[1253.52 --> 1259.20] So, the new program means that we'll be promoting our GPP partner brands across the web, on social media, at events, and more.
[1259.20 --> 1263.24] So, this sounds like, oh, Nvidia's doing great things for their partners.
[1264.26 --> 1271.26] GPP partners will also get early access to our latest innovations and work closely with our engineering team to bring the newest technologies to gamers.
[1271.94 --> 1273.88] Partners are signing up fast.
[1274.42 --> 1278.24] They see the benefit of keeping brands and communication consistent and transparent.
[1278.24 --> 1287.68] Does this not have, like, a, which Harry Potter movie is it where Umbridge takes over the professor?
[1288.36 --> 1295.50] The prim and proper, you know, lady who turns out to be, like, an absolute monster.
[1295.64 --> 1297.56] I don't remember the name of it, but I think it's the second last one.
[1297.74 --> 1298.84] Yeah, I don't remember.
[1298.92 --> 1300.34] Anyway, it's not really important.
[1300.54 --> 1307.56] The point is, does this not have, like, kind of rules for, you know, proper behavior as students kind of vibe to it?
[1307.56 --> 1307.80] Yeah.
[1308.26 --> 1309.76] The program isn't exclusive.
[1310.32 --> 1313.82] Partners continue to have the ability to sell and promote products from anyone.
[1314.34 --> 1318.98] Partners choose to sign up for the program, and they can stop participating at any time.
[1319.32 --> 1325.16] There's no commitment to make any monetary payments or product discounts for being part of the program.
[1325.86 --> 1331.32] GPP ensures our engineering and marketing efforts support brands consumers associate with GeForce.
[1331.32 --> 1337.04] That transparency will give gamers the confidence needed to make their purchase whichever products they choose.
[1337.56 --> 1352.90] Now, I don't often feel the need to read out an entire press release from a company because a lot of the time, frankly, I feel like companies should pay me to read their stupid press release.
[1353.98 --> 1356.46] Like, honestly, press releases, that's not journalism.
[1356.72 --> 1357.34] That's not objective.
[1358.28 --> 1359.04] That's advertising.
[1359.04 --> 1364.60] They literally pay someone to write it, and then they pay, like, MarketWire to distribute it.
[1364.74 --> 1365.80] That's what it is.
[1365.80 --> 1376.44] Okay, so on the surface, this sounds like everything about this is voluntary and terrific.
[1376.78 --> 1380.12] But let's look at the state of the GPU market right now.
[1380.12 --> 1393.04] If you can get GPUs, you are making bank because of the whole cryptocurrency mining thing and pent-up demand from gamers who haven't been able to get GPUs because of the cryptocurrency mining thing.
[1393.04 --> 1406.38] If you can't get GPUs, you are basically plum out of luck, and NVIDIA, without doing anything that could open them up to a lawsuit, can plausibly say,
[1406.66 --> 1408.74] we just didn't have enough for you.
[1409.22 --> 1410.14] You were on the list.
[1411.06 --> 1411.50] Sorry.
[1411.50 --> 1418.62] And if you're, let's say, someone like EVGA, for example, you have other businesses.
[1418.98 --> 1420.14] You sell motherboards.
[1420.86 --> 1421.50] You sell...
[1422.02 --> 1424.16] Crazy, ridiculously high-wattage power supplies.
[1424.20 --> 1425.46] Yeah, you sell power supplies.
[1425.58 --> 1426.50] You sell cases, even.
[1427.22 --> 1428.00] But let's be honest.
[1428.00 --> 1428.28] Who is?
[1428.92 --> 1431.56] When's the last time you saw an EVGA motherboard out in the wild?
[1434.96 --> 1438.30] So they sell motherboards, but do they sell a lot of them?
[1438.62 --> 1440.94] Compared to someone like an ASUS or a Gigabyte?
[1440.94 --> 1442.12] No, not really.
[1442.62 --> 1444.46] And that isn't to say that they're bad boards.
[1444.56 --> 1451.92] That's just to say that they aren't as popular, and that EVGA's business is very reliant on GPUs.
[1452.28 --> 1460.78] So if EVGA couldn't get allocation of GPUs to say that their business would suffer would be a gross understatement.
[1461.34 --> 1466.30] So NVIDIA's blog post outlining how this is all very voluntary,
[1466.30 --> 1471.98] it just ensures that they get the benefits of being part of the partner program.
[1473.26 --> 1478.46] It comes across a little bit disingenuous because that's not what's going on here.
[1478.56 --> 1482.60] What's going on is that if you don't join the partner program, you're not going to get allocation,
[1482.60 --> 1489.12] and your business is going to suffer, and you're going to have to lay off real people with real families
[1489.12 --> 1493.90] who won't have a job anymore and won't be able to support them,
[1493.98 --> 1497.32] and that's something that if I'm a company like EVGA,
[1497.98 --> 1501.52] that for the most part my experience with them has actually been very positive,
[1501.84 --> 1504.94] I would like to believe that they care about.
[1504.94 --> 1509.86] So you're pretty much joining the GeForce partner program.
[1513.78 --> 1516.06] Let's go to the HardOCP article.
[1516.38 --> 1520.70] Huge shout out to Kyle for doing what he was doing here.
[1521.04 --> 1524.68] So HardOCP began interviewing AIBs and OEMs.
[1524.76 --> 1527.72] I'm going to reshare this in Twitch chat because I showed it a while ago.
[1527.74 --> 1529.72] Yeah, go ahead. Hit Twitch chat with that. It's really important.
[1529.72 --> 1535.90] So they began interviewing AIBs and OEMs who communicated a few things.
[1536.06 --> 1541.82] One, that the GeForce partner program has terms in it that are likely illegal.
[1542.58 --> 1550.00] Number two, that the GeForce partner program is going to likely tremendously hurt consumer choice.
[1550.50 --> 1556.04] And number three, that the GeForce partner program will disrupt business with companies
[1556.04 --> 1563.12] that are currently doing business with AMD, in particular AMD and Intel.
[1563.92 --> 1569.92] The other thing that he gleaned, and we haven't been able to verify this,
[1569.98 --> 1571.70] because here's what you guys got to understand.
[1573.28 --> 1574.90] I've never seen the agreement.
[1575.60 --> 1578.06] And I know for a fact I will never see the agreement.
[1578.68 --> 1583.10] It would shock me if anyone ever saw this agreement out in the public.