Why Graphics Cards Have Skyrocketed in Price in 2026: Hidden Reasons Normal Buyers Miss
Graphics card prices surged 20-50% in 2026 due to VRAM shortages from AI data centers, Nvidia/AMD production cuts, and supply chain shifts.
Why Graphics Cards Have Skyrocketed in Price in 2026: Hidden Reasons Normal Buyers Miss
Graphics card prices have jumped sharply in early 2026, with midrange models like RTX 5070 Ti and RX 9070 XT up 25-40% since January, and flagships like RTX 5090 hitting $3,000-$5,000. While headlines blame "AI demand," deeper issues like VRAM comprising 80% of GPU bills of materials (BOM), deliberate production cuts, and Samsung/SK Hynix prioritizing HBM over GDDR drive the real pain. Everyday buyers miss these supply-side economics, mistaking them for scalping or tariffs (delayed to late 2026). Primary Culprit: VRAM Shortages from AI Boom High-bandwidth memory demand from AI data centers has crippled consumer GPU production, as GDDR6/GDDR7 fabs pivot to pricier HBM3E for Nvidia H100/H200 cards. A 16Gb GDDR module jumped from $5.50 mid-2025 to $20+ by Q1 2026 – tripling costs while now dominating 70-80% of a GPU's BOM, eclipsing dies themselves. Samsung and SK Hynix, controlling 90% of DRAM, allocate capacity to HBM (80% margins vs. GDDR's 20-30%), leaving gaming VRAM…
