NVIDIA Ends Price Support Program, Paving the Way for Ultra-Expensive Graphics Cards
Insider information from Wccftech and German overclocker der8auer (Roman Hartung) sounds like very sad news — NVIDIA has officially terminated its Open Price Program (OPP). If before, the Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) was at least some kind of benchmark, now it is turning into an empty phrase.
Many gamers weren't even aware of the OPP's existence, but it was precisely this program that kept the prices of basic graphics card models in check. Producing cards at the suggested price was often unprofitable for partners (ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte) due to expensive memory and logistics. To ensure there were at least some cards on the shelves at a "fair" price, NVIDIA paid compensation to its partners.
And just a few days ago, NVIDIA completely wound down this support. Without these payments, manufacturers have not a single reason to sell graphics cards cheaply.