UnitedCompute's GPU Price Tracker monitors and charts the prices of various NVIDIA GPUs across different cloud providers like AWS, Azure, and GCP. It aims to help users find the most cost-effective options for their cloud computing needs by providing historical price data and comparisons, allowing them to identify trends and potential savings. The tracker focuses specifically on GPUs suitable for machine learning workloads and offers filtering options to narrow down the search based on factors such as GPU memory and location.
The Raspberry Pi RP2040 microcontroller is now available as a standalone chip, the RP2350, allowing manufacturers to integrate it into their own designs. This dual-core Cortex-M0+ processor with 264KB of SRAM is offered in two package variants: a QFN-56 and a future LGA package with stacked external flash memory. The QFN-56 is available for immediate purchase, offering a cost-effective solution for diverse embedded applications. The stacked memory variant promises simplified design and reduced board space, though pricing and availability for that package are yet to be announced.
Hacker News users generally expressed excitement about the RP2350's availability and potential, particularly its low cost and the possibilities opened by the stacked memory variant. Several commenters discussed the chip's suitability for specific applications, including robotics, industrial control, and amateur radio. Some expressed skepticism about the real-world performance impact of the stacked memory, wanting to see benchmarks. Others debated the merits of the RP2350 compared to other microcontrollers like the ESP32, highlighting trade-offs in processing power, memory, and peripheral options. A few users also mentioned challenges they've faced with Raspberry Pi availability in the past, hoping this release would be smoother.
The Canva outage highlighted the challenges of scaling a popular service during peak demand. The surge in holiday season traffic overwhelmed Canva's systems, leading to widespread disruptions and emphasizing the difficulty of accurately predicting and preparing for such spikes. While Canva quickly implemented mitigation strategies and restored service, the incident underscored the importance of robust infrastructure, resilient architecture, and effective communication during outages, especially for services heavily relied upon by businesses and individuals. The event serves as another reminder of the constant balancing act between managing explosive growth and maintaining reliable service.
Several commenters on Hacker News discussed the Canva outage, focusing on the complexities of distributed systems. Some highlighted the challenges of debugging such systems, particularly when saturation and cascading failures are involved. The discussion touched upon the difficulty of predicting and mitigating these types of outages, even with robust testing. Some questioned Canva's architectural choices, suggesting potential improvements like rate limiting and circuit breakers, while others emphasized the inherent unpredictability of large-scale systems and the inevitability of occasional failures. There was also debate about the trade-offs between performance and resilience, and the difficulty of achieving both simultaneously. A few users shared their personal experiences with similar outages in other systems, reinforcing the widespread nature of these challenges.
Summary of Comments ( 27 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43811105
Hacker News users discussed the practicality of the GPU price tracker, noting that prices fluctuate significantly and are often outdated by the time a purchase is made. Some commenters pointed out the importance of checking secondary markets like eBay for better deals, while others highlighted the value of waiting for sales or new product releases. A few users expressed skepticism towards cloud gaming services, preferring local hardware despite the cost. The lack of international pricing was also mentioned as a limitation of the tracker. Several users recommended specific retailers or alert systems for tracking desired GPUs, emphasizing the need to be proactive and patient in the current market.
The Hacker News post titled "GPU Price Tracker" with the ID 43811105 has several comments discussing the linked GPU price tracker and the state of the GPU market.
Several users express appreciation for the tracker, finding it useful and well-designed. One user specifically praises the inclusion of European retailers, highlighting the frequent omission of non-US markets in similar tools. This sentiment is echoed by another commenter who appreciates the site's comprehensive coverage across various retailers and models.
The conversation also touches on the inflated GPU prices and the impact of cryptocurrency mining. One commenter notes the still-high prices of GPUs like the 3080, despite the cryptocurrency market downturn. They suggest that manufacturers may be maintaining artificially high prices. Another user mentions the difficulty in finding older, lower-end cards at reasonable prices, making it challenging for those on tighter budgets or with specific needs. Someone also raises the point that the tracker's prices don't always align with in-store prices, possibly due to online retailers adjusting prices more dynamically.
There's a brief discussion about the potential resurgence of GPU mining if cryptocurrency prices recover. A commenter observes that while mining profitability is currently low, a market rebound could reignite demand and drive prices back up. Another user points out the environmental impact of cryptocurrency mining and expresses hope that GPU prices remain low to discourage it.
Finally, a few comments offer alternative methods for finding affordable GPUs, including checking local marketplaces, considering used options, and waiting for sales events like Black Friday. One user even suggests looking at workstations being decommissioned by companies, as a potential source for used GPUs at reasonable prices.
Overall, the comments reflect a mix of gratitude for the price tracker tool, continued frustration with the GPU market, and cautious optimism about the possibility of more affordable prices in the future.