Wow you made a lot of assumptions based one me stating if AMD prices their 9970 >$600, they lost me as a customer...check this out:
Me: How much is the 9970?
AMD Rep: $650
Me: Ouch, you lost me as a customer.
Or does this work better for you
Me: Ouch, you lost that sale to me. (Which also implies "you lost me a customer".)
No where did I say if the card dropped under $600 they wouldn't regain me as a customer. In fact, I'd buy it the moment it dropped under $600. Above that, no sale.
EDIT: Since I'm thinking about my original post, read it again - there is a clear statement about what AMD would have to do to regain me a customer.
>$600 - no sale
<$600 - sale
I didn't mention any other card because I'd specifically want the top tier single GPU ATI/AMD card as I've been buying so for over the last decade.
What are you talking about? I bought my first Radeon HD 7970 at the MSRP of $550. Clearly I have no issue paying money for something I find value in, however, I will not go along with the AMD/Nvidia thinking they can charge, in my opinion, excessively for their products.
As a customer, I draw a line.
What is all this gibber for? Considering my statement was a simple opinion of my personal preference for GPU prices, you are sure trying hard to imply something.
I'm not a shareholder, I don't give a flying-squirrel what they have to gain, nor AMD as a corporation. I'm a customer and I set my budget. You seem to have some kind of issue with this, perhaps you're a shareholder and you have a financial responsibility to tell me I'm wrong.
Whatever your reasoning, it makes no sense, you are arguing against my opinion on where a GPU price should be for my buying habits and beyond that - I have no idea why you're even going to such lengths.
But buying AMD shares is a good bet though, dirt cheap atm, and with AMD / Radeon hardware in every next-gen console the shares will be flying by this time next year.
Make some money and you can buy a new GPU with it.