NVIDIA and ATi: Game Over

Today, NVIDIA is launching its GeForce 6200. We were told of the launch at the last minute with only a few days to prepare and to deal with the usual last minute changes that follow these rushed launches. This has happened four or five times in the past year. It’s always the same, with no time to do thorough testing, constant last minute changes, and a rush to print. If we were cynical, we’d have to think that the companies involved do not want us to have time to do thorough testing.

Often the product’s drivers are not ready, special editions or in beta stage and testers are struggling to keep up with last minute updates. Almost every instance results in what we now believe to be a disservice to the consumer.

Today, we announce that we are not going to play that game again.

It is a disservice to our readers to rush testing just because a vendor wants to get a big PR launch. It is a disservice to our readers to constantly deal with last minute, rushed products that may have little to do with finally shipping products - It is a disservice to our readers to constantly deal with products weeks or months before the products become available to the market. It is a disservice to our readers to cave in to the pressure that comes from the expectation by vendors that every online review will appear on a single day giving them a big bang opening day.

NVIDIA and ATI have a right to pursue their own PR strategies, but the back-to-back launches and launch day competition is getting ridiculous.

It does not make one company better than the other. It does not make for better products. It does not make for objective reporting. It does not make for better product availability

So, we will review the GeForce 6200, and do it with pleasure. We are excited about the product. However, we will do it with our usual attention to detail, and will take the time to evaluate it properly. Not because we can’t rush a review out and be like everyone else. We’ll take the time to do the right thing because that’s no less than the consumer deserves.

Maybe everyone has lost sight of the fact that all the analysis that is done is supposed to serve the consumer, the interested reader and to help them make informed decisions.

We think it is time to get off the carousel of chicanery, and get back to basics.