• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

GPU Art? WTF

K

kamspy

Member
So, I was shopping for a new GPU at retail store the other day (the sunlight still burns), and I noticed just how insanely crappy GPU 'art' is. If someone without much idea of what's popular in PC gaming were to walk down the GPU aisle at Microcenter, they would think the most popular games were P.N.03, Perfect Dark Zero, and Frog based FPS games. Just look at the ones I could dig up with a quick google image search:
2efj1xj.jpg

35m43vb.jpg

11sfgck.jpg

2hgr4tg.jpg

qri6j7.jpg

aylwfn.jpg



So WTF? Why can't we get a nice, black box and some more subdued styling on the actual card itself. I think the 4770 in my rig has some female cyborg holding a laser gun on it.

What's so hard about a black PCB and a sleek fan design without any C grade characters airbrushed on them?

Who the fuck get's paid to market this stuff with this tripe?
 
I don't think anyone who's an enthusiast actually cares what the box looks like, thus just care about the card's specs. The art is just to get the idiots who go "ZOMG WOW ISN'T RUNNING WELL I NEED MOAR CARDS HAY THIS CHICK IN LATEX/GUY IN ARMOR WITH A SWORD/ FROG LOOKS HAWT I'LL GET THAT ONE".
 
Kaako said:
It's really simple; they were on crack when they designed them shits.
Click to expand...

So the ATI and nVidia marketing depts have been on a crack binge spanning over a decade?

I can believe that actually. nm.
 
I always get a good laugh at them. My 5850 has a Dirt 2 slipcover, and underneath is a dude with a vertical scar on his eye, dressed in spiky armor with three swords. BAMF
 
I actually like most of the ASUS/MSI boxart.

Also, not sure if she did appear on the boxes, but NVIDIA's mermaid that appeared in the NV40 tech demo (I believe her name is Nalu) was pretty awesome. :)

ATI's Rubi? Not so much...
 
I remember buying my first graphics card in 2003. The art hasn't moved beyond that "Reboot" glossy style in 7 years. I don't understand why most companies still a reason to plaster those things on their products.

eVGA does it right though.
 
J.M.Reyes said:
that TI4200 Nvidia card was the best bang for the buck at the time
Click to expand...

Googling those images was a pretty sweet drive down Nostalgia Blvd.

Lagspike_exe said:
I actually like most of the ASUS/MSI boxart.
.
Click to expand...

My card has what appears to be a laser gun wielding cyborg-asari on it. It's an MSI. :/
 
The art on the cover is probably having zero influence over the consumers. PC gamers for the most part know what they are buying in the first place when they shop for GPU.
 
J.M.Reyes said:
that TI4200 Nvidia card was the best bang for the buck at the time
Click to expand...

9800 (PRO) was great as well... I believe there were even some 9800 SE models (remember, SE a few years ago meant half the memory bus... 9200 SE disaster anyone? :lol) that could be modded to 9800 and those were awesome. IIRC, they were introduced to counter the 5900XT (MSI model, although it came in spartan packaging, could be really pushed with proper tools). Then, again, NV 6200 is the king of modding in recent times. :P

Zombie James said:
My box was pretty tame, but still has Generic CG Woman.

http://img2.pict.com/e8/82/13/2919033/0/sapphirehd4770.jpg[img][/QUOTE]

I'm not quite sure, but I believe that's Ruby - ATI's mascot.
Click to expand...
 
Fantasy Final said:
The art on the cover is probably having zero influence over the consumers. PC gamers for the most part know what they are buying in the first place when they shop for GPU.
Click to expand...

Really? I know I can cross this card off my list thanks to Nirolak.

16c9xj9.jpg
 
Most of those boxes, from what I know, are designed in Asia and often use unlicensed art (I remember some using artwork from cgsociety).
 
So very true. My 4850 had some weird woman with swords wearing short shorts and a cutoff shirt. The other day I was looking for an adapter that came with card and just sat and stared at the bizarre cover for awhile.

Plus, how often do people even buy cards in retail shops anymore where you are trying to have visually appealing covers? I don't think I've bought a card at retail in my last 3 computers (spanning over 10 years.)
 
Ether_Snake said:
Most of those boxes, from what I know, are designed in Asia and often use unlicensed art (I remember some using artwork from cgsociety).
Click to expand...

Well that's a problem that solves itself. Don't use art. Look at what some of the newer high high end sound cards look like. Why can't more GPUs look like that? We get stuck with pink PCBs with Palit FroBots on them.
 
Fantasy Final said:
The art on the cover is probably having zero influence over the consumers. PC gamers for the most part know what they are buying in the first place when they shop for GPU.
Click to expand...

Exactly, but the casuals who need "the best graphics card" can be easily swayed.

It's not worth paying for artists to impress anyone in this thread - if it's the one you want it's the one you want - so they only hire cheap artists to sway the parents and casual gamers into buying the one that looks the best and seems to have the highest numbers on the box.

More money on art would just be a waste, as would licensing actual game content (which goes out of date in PC World faster than 'generic large breasted sci-fi chick' does.
 
Terrible GPU boxart is a symptom of the disease that prevents Taiwan from becoming a powerhouse in the consumer electronics industry in the same way that S. Korea has become.
 
My guess is that the way everybody is so 'sue happy' they have to try and differentiate it so much from actual IP's that the actual art just comes out looking foolish.
 
coopolon said:
Plus, how often do people even buy cards in retail shops anymore where you are trying to have visually appealing covers? I don't think I've bought a card at retail in my last 3 computers (spanning over 10 years.)
Click to expand...
Newegg is the primary parts company in the US but not anywhere else in the world. Most of my friends buy from NCIX's retail store here.
 
XFX has some cool designs. I like my 9800GTX+ XFX design with the big and stylized 9.

EDIT:

Here it is:

Main_Image.jpg
 
msi-gtx275-large.jpg

"I'm going to fucking destroy you"

Also, EVGA isn't much better when you see FTW edition. "oh my god they said for the win! this card is for 1337 gamers!"
 
2yl60eb.jpg


TheExodu5 said:
http://www.quietpc.com/files/images/products/msi-gtx275-large.jpg[IMG]
"I'm going to fucking destroy you"

Also, EVGA isn't much better when you see FTW edition. "oh my god they said for the win! this card is for 1337 gamers!"[/QUOTE]
That's not the best edition. You obviously want the one with that art on the card also.

[IMG]http://i47.tinypic.com/2rxb4ow.jpg
Click to expand...
 
kamspy said:
So, I was shopping for a new GPU at retail store the other day (the sunlight still burns), and I noticed just how insanely crappy GPU 'art' is. If someone without much idea of what's popular in PC gaming were to walk down the GPU aisle at Microcenter, they would think the most popular games were P.N.03, Perfect Dark Zero, and Frog based FPS games. Just look at the ones I could dig up with a quick google image search:


So WTF? Why can't we get a nice, black box and some more subdued styling on the actual card itself. I think the 4770 in my rig has some female cyborg holding a laser gun on it.

What's so hard about a black PCB and a sleek fan design without any C grade characters airbrushed on them?

Who the fuck get's paid to market this stuff with this tripe?
Click to expand...

it is just to get your attention. Thats all. It looks like it worked.
 
kamspy said:
XFX has their bad moments too.
Click to expand...
I would have went with the one with the dog in a mask and a green armor for one of their bad moments.

It makes this one look like a masterpiece.
 
Orbitcube said:
Please tell me the box actually wasn't in a cross shape.
Click to expand...

Actually a cross shape.

Walk that bad boy up to the register! Get home and open with the wife!

"You spent how much on that?"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

GPU Question
41
1K
Hawk The Slayer replied
The more you guys complain about GPU prices.
24
353
Tams replied
Hardware Unboxed - Forza Horizon 6 GPU benchmarks
Hardware 
1
187
realcool replied
SSDs: WTF?
Business Trailer Hardware  2
76
1K
crackajack replied
NVIDIA secures 94% of AIB GPU market
2 3
108
2K
LavitzSlambert replied
Top Bottom