There is the very slightest chance you might be able to buy a new AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT graphics card today. But only if you really, really like AMD as a brand, can prove it by your actions, and are a die-hard member of the Red Team community. An email shared with Videocardz, which went out to Red Team members recently, tells of a new 'Midnight Black edition' of the RX 6800 XT that goes on sale today, April 7, 6am PST, 9am EST, 2pm BST.
This is identical to the standard reference version of the RX 6800 XT, but instead of the silver strip wrapped around the middle of the chunky shroud, it's been sprayed black. Otherwise you're still looking at one of the finest graphics cards released in modern times; a Navi 21-powered gaming powerhouse, with 4,608 RDNA 2 cores inside it, and 16GB GDDR6 supporting its advanced 7nm GPU silicon.
We don't yet know if the 'Midnight Black' reference design is going to be what the extended run of AMD's own RX 6800-series cards is going to look like. It's possible that when it decided to continue making the reference versions back in December, instead of phasing them out in favour of third-party versions, it either chose to alter the colouring or was forced to by changing supply chains.
We've just officially extended the reference design builds indefinitely due to popular demand. Thanks for the feedback.December 9, 2020
Either way, this new RX 6800 XT 'Midnight Black edition' is not going to appear in great numbers today and is potentially only going to be picked up by card carrying members of the Red Team community who got the advance notice and the specific link.
"This is an exclusive advance notice to members of the AMD Red Team community," reads the email, "and this offer has limited availability, while supplies last."
Best wireless gaming mouse: ideal cable-free rodents
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Best wireless gaming headset: top untethered audio
So yeah, while there is a new batch of GPUs hitting AMD.com this morning, by the time the 'Midnight Black edition' actually hits the traditional store pages of AMD's own store it will most likely be out of stock.
But if you want to enjoy the vicarious thrill of buying a new graphics card, without the actual expense or stress of trying to spend your own cash on one, you can follow the excited AMD fans who do. They're being encouraged to spread the word that it is actually possible to buy a new Radeon GPU right now, promise.
"Good luck, have fun," says the special notice, "and if you do purchase an AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT Series graphic card, be sure to share your @Radeon excitement on social using #GameOnAMD!"
What a fun hash tag that will be to follow.
