In Aftermath of NVIDIA GPP, ASUS Creates AREZ Brand for Radeon Graphics Cards

[Chino]

Graphics card manufacturers are gradually starting to align their gaming brands with NVIDIA to get admission into the exclusive GeForce Partner Program (GPP). Although there isn't any official confirmation on behalf of the NVIDIA AIB partners, small but significant changes are starting to become evident. The first example comes from Gigabyte's Aorus gaming line. Gigabyte currently offers the Gaming Box external graphics enclosure with a GeForce GTX 1070, GTX 1080, or a Radeon RX 580. If we look at the packaging closely, we can clearly see that the RX 580 box lacks the Aorus branding. However, Gigabyte isn't alone though. MSI is apparently in favor of GPP too as they remove all their Radeon Gaming X models from their global website. Take the Radeon RX 580 for instance. The RX 580 models from the Armor lineup are the only ones present. Surprisingly the US website still carries the Gaming X models.

The latest rumor suggests that ASUS is the third AIB partner to jump on the GPP bandwagon. The Taiwanese manufacturer is allegedly creating the AREZ brand to accommodate their Radeon products. The AREZ moniker probably alludes to the Ares series of dual-GPU graphics cards historically centered around AMD GPUs. If this rumor is true, the Strix, Dual, Phoenix, and Expedition Radeon models are going to fall under the new AREZ branding. ASUS might even go as far as dropping their name from the AREZ models entirely.


Update 17/04/2018: ASUS has officially announced the 'AREZ' brand here.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[TheGuruStud]

PR stunt. Do not buy Asus or any of the other turds.

 

[Vya Domus]

This is so hilariously bad , it's like a knock off brand. Nvidia has truly has done it this time around , out of all the shady and anti competitive crap they pulled of , this one takes the cake.

 

[toxic80]

Bye, bye, ASUS, the last monitor, the last video card and the last motherboard. It was a mistake to sell Sapphire RX Vega 64 BBA and buy ASUS GeForce STRIX GTX 1080 O8G.
The only thing from you, ASUS, that will remain in my home will be A8R32-MVP Deluxe.
And, yes, If I check my ASUS account I will find a lot of ASUS products, but not all of them ......

Bye, bye, bye, ASUS!!!

 

[eidairaman1]

I smell an Antitrust lawsuit coming

 

[toxic80]

I smell an Antitrust lawsuit coming

Oooo, come on, look on TPU, at video cards section review you can find tons of reviews about nVidia!

 

[Bansaku]

First Gameworks, now this? If I were Gigabyte, ASUS, Sapphire etc. I would band together and tell nVidia to stop f-ing dictating what they can and can not do! Unfortunately, the said companies rely on nVidia to supply them with the boards, and boycotting will hurt them financially, albeit only in the short term. IMO, nVidia needs to be taken down a peg or eight and stop trying to run a monopoly on "gaming" GPUs.

 

[eidairaman1]

First Gameworks, now this? If I were Gigabyte, ASUS, Sapphire etc. I would band together and tell nVidia to stop f-ing dictating what they can and can not do! Unfortunately, the said companies rely on nVidia to supply them with the boards, and boycotting will hurt them financially, albeit only in the short term. IMO, nVidia needs to be taken down a peg or eight and stop trying to run a monopoly on "gaming" GPUs.

Sapphire is AMD exclusive Brand, Zotac is the NV Counterpart, like how XFX and EVGA are.

 

[dj-electric]

Sapphire is AMD exclusive Brand, Zotac is the NV Counterpart, like how XFX and EVGA are.

Are XFX and EVGA owned by the same parent company like sapphire and zotac are?

 

[eidairaman1]

Are XFX and EVGA owned by the same parent company like sapphire and zotac are?

Im using them as examples, Sapphire and XFX are AMD Exclusive, just like how Zotac and EVGA are

 

[CosmicWanderer]

Are XFX and EVGA owned by the same parent company like sapphire and zotac are?

Who lied to you? Sapphire is not owned by the same company that owns Zotac.

 

[evernessince]

It makes zero sense for ASUS to create this cheap sounding brand instead of using the ARES brand they already have unless they are taking all the gaming brands. The GPP seems to be going beyond even what was previously reported. Nvidia is going to have all the main brands and AMD is going to be relegated to cheap knock-off brand names.

I hope Nvidia is sued for this program and fast.

 

[ShurikN]

Always disliked ASUS products, now I dislike them even more.
And although they wouldn't get any money from me in the first place, I see a lot of ppl raging and claiming they are done with the company.
Which is nice. Hopefully they stick with their decisions.

 

[RH92]

W O W .......... the amount of nonsense in this comment section is disturbing to say the least !!!

So you all complain because you are going to get the same product under a different name/branding ?

Oh how silly am i ............. TOTALY FORGOT WE ARE IN 2018 ........ PEOPLES ( read kids ) BUY STUFF BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE NAME ON THE BOX NOT WHAT'S INSIDE ........... EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE NOW !!!

 

[eidairaman1]

Who lied to you? Sapphire is not owned by the same company that owns Zotac.

At one point both Sapphire and Zotac under the parent company called PC partner

 

[Fouquin]

Who lied to you? Sapphire is not owned by the same company that owns Zotac.

Not owned by PC Partner, but that was their primary OEM for PCBs. There was a relationship there. Sapphire used PC Partner's vendor ID for over a decade, and only recently started using their own ID.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Oooo, come on, look on TPU, at video cards section review you can find tons of reviews about nVidia!

What does TPU have to do with this? stop trolling.

 

[INSTG8R]

Not owned by PC Partner, but that was their primary OEM for PCBs. There was a relationship there. Sapphire used PC Partner's vendor ID for over a decade, and only recently started using their own ID.

Yeah my Fury still had PCPartner as the sub vendor.

 

[AsRock]

W O W .......... the amount of nonsense in this comment section is disturbing to say the least !!!

So you all complain because you are going to get the same product under a different name/branding ?

Oh how silly am i ............. TOTALY FORGOT WE ARE IN 2018 ........ PEOPLES ( read kids ) BUY STUFF BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE NAME ON THE BOX NOT WHAT'S INSIDE ........... EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE NOW !!!

True but if there wasn't any thing in it for nVidia they simply would not be doing it.

 

[RejZoR]

What right does NVIDIA have to demand (other than plain ol' extortion of AIB's) their most recognized brands to be exclusively used for GeForce? They didn't make them for NVIDIA when they appeared. NVIDIA, fuck off with your dumb crap.

 

[john_]

AZUZ can put their AREZ brand in their AZZ

 

[the54thvoid]

Not buying an AMD card because it gets a different name is self defeating. Doing that gives Nvidia a win. If two strix cards are sold and both perform at the top of their game, what do you care about the name.
Also, gaming brands are fickle. The AIB's make them, then add more all the time. Gaming X, Gaming Z. C'mon, let's not pretend they've not been disingenuous on that already.
I, being an adult, don't buy a card because it says ROG on it. I read reviews and buy on knowledge, not branding.
I know why people are getting 'upset' but really, we can all still make informed buying decisions and remember, not buying an AMD card from some of the major vendors will hurt AMD. There aren't enough AMD exclusive AIC's to go around.

 

[Darksword]

Not buying an AMD card because it gets a different name is self defeating. Doing that gives Nvidia a win. If two strix cards are sold and both perform at the top of their game, what do you care about the name.
Also, gaming brands are fickle. The AIB's make them, then add more all the time. Gaming X, Gaming Z. C'mon, let's not pretend they've not been disingenuous on that already.
I, being an adult, don't buy a card because it says ROG on it. I read reviews and buy on knowledge, not branding.
I know why people are getting 'upset' but really, we can all still make informed buying decisions and remember, not buying an AMD card from some of the major vendors will hurt AMD. There aren't enough AMD exclusive AIC's to go around.

 

[HD64G]

Not buying an AMD card because it gets a different name is self defeating. Doing that gives Nvidia a win. If two strix cards are sold and both perform at the top of their game, what do you care about the name.
Also, gaming brands are fickle. The AIB's make them, then add more all the time. Gaming X, Gaming Z. C'mon, let's not pretend they've not been disingenuous on that already.
I, being an adult, don't buy a card because it says ROG on it. I read reviews and buy on knowledge, not branding.
I know why people are getting 'upset' but really, we can all still make informed buying decisions and remember, not buying an AMD card from some of the major vendors will hurt AMD. There aren't enough AMD exclusive AIC's to go around.

I agree with what you said about us who know about hardware, but if it wasn't important why nVidia "forced" AIBs to make all those changes? And especially now that they lose marketshare from AMD? Marketing is a big tool in business if used properly. We all know that and should stop underestimate those unticustomer practices from whatever company. We are customers first of all no matter what company we like better. Many ignorants will fall for that trick with branding as usual in every market. Let's hope the news are spread fast and enough to not allow them to succeed. Or else much worse tricks will come after this.

 

[kruk]

I know why people are getting 'upset' but really, we can all still make informed buying decisions and remember, not buying an AMD card from some of the major vendors will hurt AMD. There aren't enough AMD exclusive AIC's to go around.

We can, but like 90 % of gamers won't: they buy brand names. They might had good experience with the brand in the past, or somebody recommended it to them. If you put a ASUS card and a AREZ card on the shelf, AREZ cards will be bought only if they are significantly cheaper, or maybe if ASUS would launch a massive advertising campaign stating ASUS quality = AREZ quality. But that will cost loads of cash and it might not even be true (we will see when the cards start selling).

This change might be minor for enthusiasts, but it will have a massive impact on sales.