Nvidia and AMD are preparing GPU price hikes in Q1 2026, with RTX 5090 potentially reaching $5,000.
According to reports from Korean tech outlet Newsis citing industry sources, NVIDIA and AMD are planning significant GPU price increases starting in early 2026. AMD is preparing a price increase as early as January 2026, while NVIDIA is planning a price hike by February 2026. The price increases will primarily affect current-generation lineups, including NVIDIA's RTX 50 "Blackwell" and AMD's Radeon RX 9000 "RDNA 4" series, with increases coming in gradual steps starting in January and February 2026, continuing with increments every passing month.
NVIDIA's flagship GPU, the GeForce RTX 5090, is expected to see a particularly dramatic price increase, soaring up to $5000 US. The GPU initially launched at $2000 US, representing a 2.5x increase versus the official MSRP. This pricing shift comes after most GPUs saw prices fall below MSRP in recent months, largely due to holiday deals, but the market appears poised to reverse course significantly.
Rising DRAM prices are the primary driver of these increases. According to an industry insider quoted regarding memory prices, GPU manufacturing costs have exceeded by 80% from the memory portion alone. This inflationary pressure on core components is pushing manufacturers across the board to adjust their pricing strategies upward.
While reports initially suggested NVIDIA was cutting manufacturing of GeForce RTX 5060 Ti and RTX 5070 GPUs, the reality is more nuanced. Chip production remains normal and supply levels are steady. Rather, a substantial portion of supply is being purchased by customized AI factories in Asian markets who are repurposing consumer GPUs for AI-associated applications. Large numbers of third-party sellers are now selling thousands of custom blower-styled RTX 5060 Ti, RTX 5070, RTX 5070 Ti, and RTX 5080 GPUs. Additionally, NVIDIA's RTX 4080 and RTX 5080 GPUs have reportedly seen double VRAM "32 GB AI" variants created by modders specifically for sale toward AI markets. As a result, 2026 appears to be shaping up as a disappointing year for gamers and those waiting to upgrade their personal computers.