I would like to find a 6870 at $150 that is not a rip-off "after MIR price" or out of stock. Really would. If enough vendors have stock, I have made it down to $165 or so by picking a higher priced vendor with a "Price match and then 25% of the difference" deal. $150 is a pretty good sale price, if you can find them. (note, I am speaking of reference, as overclocking on non-reference, AKA ASUS DirectCU, is pretty limited)
Why is the mail in rebate that big of a deal? Newegg has plenty of cards that go down to around 150 with mail in rebate so its not like you can only get one.Only one/two per household (which I am already at with a few manufacturers :p), lost in the mail, bunch of ridiculous requirements like mailing it off within X days of shipment arrival, and don't forget, the value of your money being "tied up" for X number of weeks while they get around to sending it to you. MIR prices are sort of a scam, it has to be an awesome deal for me to even consider it with the MIR. Also, if you value your time at anything, is $10 worth an hour of your life filling out forms, buying stamps, envelopes, etc, and mailing something?
Plus nowadays they usually send a prepaid card. You can look around the web at the problems people have with them. MIR is designed to create an impulse buy as you rationalize the lower cost but they depend on some significant percent of them never being redeemed.
I avoid them as well and it even puts me off the companies that use them.
