Key Takeaways
1. Standalone GPUs, especially those with 16 GB or more VRAM, are expected to face significant price increases due to the ongoing DRAM crisis.
2. Asus and Gigabyte plan to raise prices for their AMD Radeon RX 9000 series and Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 graphics cards by 10% to 15% by January 2026.
3. MSI has already adjusted their pricing, influencing other manufacturers like Asus and Gigabyte to follow suit.
4. AMD and Nvidia have not officially announced price hikes, allowing retailers to manage customer backlash while distancing themselves from negative feedback.
5. Current pricing trends show that many GPUs are already selling above their suggested retail prices, indicating that prices may continue to rise, making it advisable for consumers to buy sooner rather than later.
Since the beginning of the ongoing DRAM crisis, it was anticipated that standalone GPUs would be among the most severely affected areas in consumer technology. The forthcoming increase in prices was thought to be quite severe, particularly for graphics cards equipped with 16 GB or more of VRAM. A report from Taiwan indicates that Asus and Gigabyte plan to elevate the prices of their AMD Radeon RX 9000 series and Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 graphics cards by the close of January 2026.
Price Increases Ahead
This proposed increase in prices seems to be influenced by MSI, who has reportedly already adjusted their pricing for their boards. The price hikes by Asus and Gigabyte are expected to fall between 10% to 15%, based on the amount of VRAM. For example, GPUs such as the RTX 5080 and the RX 9070/XT, which contain 16 GB of VRAM, may see a price rise of 15%, while cards with 8 GB VRAM, like the RTX 5060/Ti and RX 9060 XT, could witness a 10% increase.
AMD and Nvidia’s Strategy
Interestingly, since AMD and Nvidia haven’t officially announced any price increases for the RDNA 4 and RTX 50 GPUs, it appears that Team Red and Team Green are allowing MSI, Asus, and Gigabyte to handle these price hikes, thus taking on the customer backlash. This could be a rather poor decision, if the reports are accurate, because AMD and Nvidia can then distance themselves from any negative feedback by hiding behind inflated MSRPs.
Recently, Nvidia’s approach to deny any price increases or discontinuations for their GPUs was highlighted when Hardware Unboxed mentioned that the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB might be discontinued. Nvidia and Asus subsequently denied these claims, asserting that neither GPU has been phased out. However, examining the current pricing trends for the RTX 5070 Ti and the RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB on Newegg reveals a clear picture of the situation.
Current Pricing Trends
For instance, the vast majority of RTX 5070 Ti AIB variants listed on Newegg are presently priced significantly higher than the $749 MSRP. The same observation holds true for the RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB. On a positive note, the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT are still being sold at reasonable prices.
In simple terms, the era of GPUs being sold at or near their suggested retail prices seems to be coming to an end. The situation is likely to deteriorate in the near future. Therefore, if you’re in the market for a GPU, it might be wise to start your search now before AIBs hike their prices and supply shortages make matters even worse.
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