AMD’s Radeon HD 7990: Not as pricey as you might think

April 24, 2013

Just about anyone would think twice before dropping a cool grand on a new video card, no matter how powerful it might be. But if you’re a gamer, AMD’s Never Settle Reloaded marketing program reduces the effective cost of any of its Radeon 7990 series by as much as $300. Consumers who purchase a Radeon HD 7990 card will be given codes to download seven PC games for free, plus an eighth mini game to be released on May 1. Whether or not the consumer realizes the full $300 savings, however, depends on how many of these games they’ve already purchased. The majority of the games AMD is offering in its program are triple-A titles. The upside to the program is that these are great games that hard-core gamers will want. The downside to the program is that hard-core gamers might have already purchased them, and the codes don’t entitle them to cash refunds or trade-ins. AMD's Never Settle Reloaded program bundles several triple-A titles to any consumer who purchases one of its Radeon HD 7000-series video card. But the bundle is particularly sweet for those who spring for a top-shelf Radeon HD 7990. Irrational Games’ first-person action game Bioshock Infinite, a $50 value, is the keystone title. We awarded the game a full five stars in our review. Next up is Crytek’s PC-punishing Crysis 3, a $60 value. Our reviewer described the game as “one of the most beautiful games to date.” The bundle also includes the recent Tomb Raider reboot by Square Enix, which earned 4.5 stars in our review: Author Alex Rubens describes the game—a $50 value—as “beautifully crafted, both technically and narratively.” Bioshock Infinite is one of the year's best games; in fact, it might be one of the best games in several years. Far Cry 3 is the last of the highest-profile games. Another $50 value, the Ubisoft game has been widely praised for its story and its open-world environment. But there’s no getting around the fact that the game was released in North America in December, 2012. The majority of fans interested in this title have likely already purchased and finished the game. Perhaps to acknowledge that fact—and to rekindle interest among gamers who haven’t dived into the game—AMD recently added Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, a stand-alone expansion that will sell for $15 when it’s released on May 1, to its bundle program. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Link: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2036295/amd-s-radeon-hd-7990-not-as-pricey-as-you-might-think.html#tk.rss_all