Graphics cards have been expensive and hard to find at their launch prices for much of 2026. The graphics chips themselves are not the main problem this time. The bottleneck is the video memory (VRAM) soldered next to them, the same memory shortage that is pushing up RAM and SSD prices.
Video memory is the bottleneck
Graphics cards use fast memory such as GDDR6 and GDDR7. As memory makers move production towards AI data centres, there is less of this memory to go round. Nvidia and AMD sell the graphics chip and its memory together as a kit to the brands that build the cards, such as ASUS, Sapphire and XFX, so when memory costs rise, those kit prices rise too.
Some of what has been reported this year, as collected by TrendForce from industry sources:
- January 2026: Nvidia and AMD were reported to be planning price increases across their ranges from the start of the year.
- July 2026: AMD reportedly raised the price of its graphics chip and memory kits to card makers by around 10%. Spot prices for GDDR6 memory were reported to have risen from about US$2.50 to US$7.50 per gigabyte.
- July 2026: the larger 3GB GDDR7 memory chips were reported to cost around US$60–70 each, against roughly US$20 for a standard 2GB chip, and Nvidia was reported to have held back its RTX 50 Super cards until memory prices improve.
These are reports from the supply chain rather than official announcements, but they all point the same way. The memory is only part of what a card costs to build, so shop prices don’t always rise by the same amount, but the direction has been up.
Will prices come down?
Graphics card prices have spiked before, during the 2020–2021 chip shortage and the cryptocurrency mining boom, and came down once supply caught up. This time it depends mainly on memory supply. TrendForce expects memory price rises to slow towards the end of 2026, but it is not yet forecasting falls.
What this means for you
- A faulty card may be worth repairing. Problems such as failed fans, overheating, damaged power connectors or artefacts on screen can sometimes be fixed at component level, which is worth checking before paying today’s prices for a replacement.
- Look after the card you have. Dust build-up and dried-out thermal paste make cards run hot. A clean and fresh thermal paste can extend its life.
- Upgrading? We can build an upgrade around your existing parts so that you only replace what you need to.
Gaming PC or graphics card playing up? Call us or bring it in to our Central London repair centre for a free evaluation and a fixed quote before any work starts.
Sources
- TrendForce, 5 January 2026: NVIDIA, AMD reportedly plan price hikes starting 1Q26
- TrendForce, 3 July 2026: AMD reportedly raises GPU-GDDR kit prices by ~10% for AIB partners
- TrendForce, 20 July 2026: NVIDIA’s RTX 50 Super refresh faces launch uncertainty
- TrendForce, 30 September 2026: AI server demand sustains memory contract price increases in 4Q26