Anyone planning to build a gaming PC or upgrade an existing system may want to delay the purchase. Graphics card prices are already difficult to justify, and demand from the artificial-intelligence hardware market is reportedly adding further pressure. Nvidia is rumoured to be increasing the prices charged to its manufacturing partners, while AMD may now be preparing a smaller increase of its own.
Nvidia reportedly plans a substantial increase
Taiwanese outlet Economic Daily News reported on 28 July that Nvidia could raise partner pricing by as much as 30 per cent. Companies such as MSI and Asus may face these higher costs first, although it is not yet clear how much of the increase would reach buyers. If manufacturers and retailers pass it on, the change could become one of the sharpest graphics-card price rises of 2026.
AMD has recently offered strong performance at lower prices than comparable Nvidia products, making it an important alternative for PC builders. That advantage may narrow if the latest pricing reports prove accurate.
AMD may follow with a smaller hike
Hardware leaker Harukaze5719 claims AMD is preparing to increase the prices charged to its partners by 10 per cent. The speculation suggests AMD may have been waiting to see whether Nvidia moved first before taking similar action.
Current retail pricing already shows how far some cards have moved from their launch recommendations. The Radeon RX 9070 XT debuted with a US$600 MSRP but has reportedly been selling on Newegg for approximately US$700 to US$750. That remains below the comparable GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, which is listed at about US$1,000 despite launching at US$750 in 2025. IGN points out the difference between those two price positions.
Why 4GB graphics cards are returning
The wider memory shortage, driven in part by AI-related demand, is also affecting the specifications buyers can expect. AMD has revealed the RX 9050, including a 4GB model restricted to certain regions and priced at US$280. The return of 4GB cards is notable because modern games can struggle when limited to lower amounts of video memory.
“We’ve previously marked down graphics cards for shipping with 8GB or even 10GB of memory, as many modern games don’t scale gracefully to lower VRAM systems, so seeing even a budget-class card intended for internal resolutions of 1080p or below with this little VRAM is concerning.”
Digital Foundry reported that concern earlier in the week. A 4GB card may target 1080p or lower internal resolutions, but limited VRAM can still create problems in newer games.
What should PC and arcade buyers do?
If you are building a gaming PC, comparing real-world retail prices and checking VRAM capacity may be more important than choosing a brand in isolation. A future price increase could make AMD cards more expensive while pushing Nvidia products even further from their launch pricing.
For an arcade project, the graphics card is only one part of the budget. Our arcade machine buying guide can help with broader planning, while arcade parts are available for upgrades and repairs. Buyers considering a complete arcade machine may also find it easier to avoid PC component price swings altogether.
For now, patience may be the safest strategy. The market could settle once memory supply and AI-related demand become less disruptive, but there is no confirmed timetable for that improvement.
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