you don't need backroom deals, it's just normal marked because 1. it's not a consumer product but mainly an OEM product 2. it's supply limited (much more so t

you don't need backroom deals, it's just normal marked because 1. it's not a consumer product but mainly an OEM product 2. it's supply limited (much more so then server or desktop CPUs as the marked is in general more niche) 3. it's an OEM product, i.e. it only sells to companies always in large amounts and they put it into their product. BUT for such supply chains a minimal quantity is needed to be sold per customer. Or the customer won't buy because it's to little to do a product launch. 5. Only if there are left overs is selling to end users even considered, not because of backroom deals, but because it financially makes no sense at all. I would even go as far as to say AMD makes no (relevant degree of money) profit from the DIY sells of Threadripper. Or in other words it's the standard procedure for companies selling to companies in case of limited demand to first sell to your second best customer as little as you can to satisfy their minimal needs, then continue to your 2nd best customer, 3rd best etc. If there is a huge step down between nth and n+1th best also maybe revisit the first n best customers first and increase their quantity.