A new industry report suggests graphics card buyers could be in for another round of price hikes starting early 2026, with increases potentially arriving sooner than many expected. According to Board Channels, both AMD and NVIDIA are preparing to raise GPU pricing through their add-in-board and add-in-card partners, beginning with AMD in January 2026 and NVIDIA following in February.
If this plays out, it could reshape the early-2026 market for anyone planning a PC upgrade, especially gamers and creators aiming for next-generation performance. After months of uneven pricing and limited availability in certain regions, this report hints that the brief period of stabilizing prices may be coming to an end.
AMD price increases could begin in January 2026, NVIDIA may follow in February
The report claims AMD will be the first to move, with partner graphics cards potentially seeing earlier price increases in January. NVIDIA-branded partner cards are expected to begin trending higher in February. While some brands reportedly adjusted prices slightly in December and others held steady, the decision to implement hikes in January may vary depending on each add-in-card vendor.
That nuance matters because most shoppers don’t buy graphics chips directly from AMD or NVIDIA. They buy finished cards from partner brands, and those brands decide the final shelf price based on their own costs, inventory, and margins. Even if the GPU maker signals higher pricing, the timing and size of the changes can still differ from one brand to another.
Why GPU prices might rise again: VRAM and memory costs are a major pressure point
One of the biggest takeaways from the report is the growing cost impact of memory. It claims that the GPU and VRAM combination can represent nearly 80% of the total cost by the time the product ships to board partners. When VRAM pricing rises, it quickly squeezes partner margins, making retail price increases far more likely.
At the same time, broader memory markets appear to be heating up. The report points to ongoing price increases across DDR5 and other mainstream DRAM modules. If memory pricing continues climbing at the pace described, the ripple effect on graphics card pricing could be significant, particularly for higher-VRAM models where memory contributes heavily to the bill of materials.
Monthly increases may continue for several months
The report doesn’t just suggest a one-time jump. It claims both AMD and NVIDIA could implement additional price increases month after month for several months after the initial moves. If accurate, the result could be a steadily rising GPU market through early-to-mid 2026 rather than a single “reset” in pricing.
That’s especially relevant now because AMD’s RDNA 4 lineup is described as relatively small, and many previous-generation GPUs are said to be reaching end-of-life. When older cards disappear and the lineup narrows, buyers have fewer alternatives, and that reduction in choice can make price increases easier to sustain.
What this could mean for RX 9000 and RTX 50 series shoppers
For AMD, the report mentions that pricing had been getting closer to MSRP for a flagship card like the RX 9070 XT after a slow stabilization period. If a new round of increases arrives in January, some of that progress could reverse quickly.
On the NVIDIA side, the report suggests some partner brands have already been comfortable selling premium-priced editions of RTX 50 series cards, and it speculates that extreme pricing on top-end models could become more common if costs keep climbing.
How serious is this report, and what should buyers do?
As with any pricing rumor, the details can change based on supply, demand, competition, and regional conditions. Still, the broader story aligns with what PC builders often see: when component costs rise, especially memory, GPUs tend to follow.
If you’re planning a build or upgrade in the near future, it may be worth watching prices closely over the next few weeks. If stable pricing appears on the specific model you want, waiting too long could mean paying more later if the reported January and February increases materialize.
