What Is Going On With AMD GPU Prices
AMD has reportedly told its board partners that graphics card prices will rise in 2026. The main reason is not a new product launch or some surprise feature. It is the cost of memory. Recently memory prices have gone up quickly and that is putting pressure on the entire electronics industry.
Modern graphics cards rely heavily on fast video memory. Whether you are gaming at 1440p, pushing 4K, or using your GPU for content creation or AI tools, that memory is a huge part of the total cost of the card. When memory prices spike hard enough and stay high for long enough, GPU makers eventually have to pass at least some of that cost on.
Board partners are the companies that actually build and sell the graphics cards you buy. Think of brands like Sapphire, PowerColor, Asus, MSI and others. AMD designs the GPU chip itself but these partners handle the coolers, power delivery, custom PCBs and all the physical details. So when AMD tells them prices are going up, that almost always means higher prices will reach store shelves later.
Right now this is about planning and warning, not an overnight price jump. The key point is that 2026 is shaping up to be a more expensive year for new AMD based cards if memory costs stay high.
Why Memory Prices Matter So Much
The problem starts with memory manufacturers. Memory chips are used in a huge range of devices such as:
- Gaming graphics cards and professional GPUs
- Consoles and handheld PCs
- Laptops and desktops
- Servers and data centers
- AI hardware and cloud platforms
- Phones, tablets and many smart devices
When one of those markets suddenly eats a lot more memory, it can squeeze supply for everyone else. Recently huge demand for AI hardware and data center servers has put serious pressure on memory supplies. Companies that run big AI models need massive amounts of fast memory, and they are often willing to pay premium prices to secure it.
As prices climb, it hits consumer hardware next. For GPUs, the cost of fast GDDR memory is a big chunk of what you pay at checkout. If AMD has to spend more on memory for every graphics card it builds, the total cost per card rises. At first manufacturers might absorb some of that to stay competitive, but that cannot last forever if the market remains tight.
So AMD is giving its partners a heads up now. Expect memory to stay expensive. Expect the bill for GPUs to follow. That early warning gives board partners time to adjust product plans, designs and pricing strategies for the next generation of cards.
What This Means For Gamers And PC Builders
If you are planning a new gaming rig or an upgrade in the next couple of years, this news matters. It does not mean you must panic buy a GPU today, but it is worth thinking ahead a little.
Here are a few practical takeaways for gamers and builders:
-
Short term pricing may stay volatile
If memory costs keep rising, you may see fewer deep discounts on newer AMD cards over time. Sales might focus more on older models or smaller memory configurations. -
Mid range cards could feel the squeeze
Budget and mid tier GPUs are where every dollar counts. Even a modest cost increase can push a card out of a sweet spot price that used to be very attractive. -
Used and last gen cards may look more appealing
If new cards climb in price during 2026, used GPUs and previous generation models might become better value for frames per dollar, especially for 1080p and 1440p gaming. -
Rival brands are not immune
This is not only an AMD problem. Any GPU that needs modern fast memory can be affected by the same supply squeeze. AMD is simply one of the first to flag what might be coming.
For a lot of players, the smart move is to watch how prices behave over the next year, and buy when a specific card hits a value point you are happy with, rather than waiting for a perfect moment that may never show up.
There is also a silver lining. When component costs rise, companies often get more creative about efficiency. We might see future AMD designs focus heavily on performance per watt and performance per dollar, trying to squeeze more frames from smaller, more efficient GPUs that use less memory or use it more intelligently.
In the bigger picture this situation is another reminder that the PC and gaming world does not exist in a bubble. Trends like AI growth and data center expansion can ripple out into the prices you see at your local parts store or online retailer.
For now the key takeaway is simple. AMD has warned partners that GPU prices are going to climb in 2026 because memory is getting more expensive and harder to secure. If you are eyeing an upgrade window, keep that timing in mind and pay attention to how much memory a card includes and how that affects pricing over the next couple of product cycles.
Original article and image: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/amd-to-raise-graphics-card-prices-by-at-least-10-percent-in-2026-price-surge-attributed-to-ongoing-ai-related-dram-supply-crisis
