Will OEMs Learn? - ATI RADEON 2900 XT Benchmarks

So many sites have posted some "leaked" info, and yeah sometimes it's right, sometimes it's not. It often seems to me that leaked info isn't posted because of honest interest in the product, but more to feed ad hits and click-throughs.

It's sometimes fun to daydream about the what-if's, but man I'm studying full time, have a full time job, 2 side jobs, a kid on the way, not to mention a pet project...

I'm a busy guy, I just don't have the time to sit and indulge in fantasies over numbers that could be on point, could be total BS. That's why I'll wait until the info embargo is up, and legit review sites can take a candid look at any product I'm honestly interested in.

I said the same thing when I first came to the forums over 3 years ago, and I'll stick to my guns. I just wonder how many people actually view sites like this once because of leaked info, then keep going back because they liked some aspect of the site.

Davo, you're the (or one of) owner of HH right? Do you think I'm wrong by saying that posting numbers (legit or alleged) prior to a product's info embargo being up is simply a way to hook people and thus get ad money in a rather dishonest way?

Spec, you're correct, breaking news of a product and its performance, that is currently under NDA, is a way to scoop in early traffic and traffic is dollars. And if you're not on the NDA anyway, no one can slap your wrist.

My perspective here is that DT was doing their job actually. I have zero issues there... It was the ATI board partner that leaked access to this board to them, that needs to get their a$$ kicked for letting embargoed product out the door, in breach of legal contracts.

For me it seems like dancing around the word of the law, which can be fun at times - but the point is that not only has DT previewed a board, but they've also slammed it before launch:
http://www.dailytech.com/ATI+Radeon+HD+2900+XTX+Doomed+from+the+Start/article7052.htm

Which I consider quite rude. Clocks may not even have been locked down, and then there's the drivers.

Most of the time when a new graphics tech undergoes a major change, there's a bit of a lag until drivers can catch up. Compatibility and performance tend to suffer for a while.

And here comes a review site ready to pick on AMD/ATI's latest and greatest that the company hasn't even seen fit to declare shipping yet, and already calling an early victory for nVidia.

I've beta tested software for a few companies, and often I'm required to sign an NDA. I always read it thuroughly, and often a big concern is leaking info/screen shots, feature lists and OPINIONS. If the product was completely ready for prime time, the vendor would send it around to anyone they thought had enough viewers to generate some sales off of. The fact that it's still under wraps (for a few more days anyhow) ought to be respected imo, even if one didn't sign a NDA.

As always, I look forward to a thurough review when the product comes out, and I'd be interested to see HH's (and a few other trustworthy sites) numbers and compare to these. They could be totally legit, or a last minute beta driver might change things.

I agree it's also a poor play for the partner to pass a board on to someone...not really sure what they'd get out of the deal other than a favorable review down the road? Any insight there Davo?

Finally some competition. nVidia seemed to be eating the market like a fat man eating a big mac.

One would wonder, why bother? I mean honour I can understand honestly. However it seems ppl are more interested in perceived revenue then integrity, that isn't anything new to be serious, however I go back to my opening sentence, perchance ATi and the rest should simply forget embargo's altogether as they seem to be a waste of time...they should simply release the cards to reviewers and let them post as they will, when they will and let it be that.

I mean it seems that ppl will play games with time zones or simply enjoy being in a different country or whatever excuse they will employ, it seems almost a joke with the honest being the punchline.