As GPU and memory supplies keep tightening, graphics card makers are finding it harder to build enough products to satisfy demand—and that pressure is starting to show up in pricing.
MSI is now warning that NVIDIA GPU supply has dropped by around 20%, a shortfall that could push graphics card prices noticeably higher in the near future. The situation is being driven by a mix of continued demand for new GPUs and worsening availability of key components, especially memory. While AMD’s newer RDNA 4 graphics cards have seen a bit of price relief in recent weeks, NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series has largely continued trending upward thanks to strong demand and limited availability. If supply remains constrained, shoppers could see another round of increases soon.
According to a recent report, MSI says it isn’t receiving enough GPU chips from NVIDIA to keep up with the market. MSI President Joseph Hsu reportedly described 2026 as the toughest year the company has faced since it was founded, pointing to a difficult combination of GPU shortages and memory constraints. With limited inventory and higher build costs, MSI says it may have little choice but to raise prices again.
To deal with the ongoing disruption, MSI is preparing multiple strategies intended to keep its business stable through the year. One major shift is a stronger emphasis on high-end RTX 50 series graphics cards, with a reduced focus on lower-end models. The report suggests the share of lower-tier products could be cut by close to 30%, though MSI indicated that the overall supply reduction affects all models across the lineup. In other words, supply pressure isn’t limited to one or two cards—availability is tighter across the board.
MSI is also looking to secure long-term agreements with memory suppliers to better protect production plans from sudden shortages and cost spikes. That matters because memory prices have surged dramatically, reaching roughly four to five times higher than last year in some cases. As memory becomes more expensive and harder to source, GPUs with higher VRAM capacities are often hit the hardest, since they require more of the very component that’s becoming scarce and costly.
The company’s third big move is expanding its server business, with a goal of significant revenue growth over the next five years. For the consumer market, however, the most immediate impact is pricing. MSI is reportedly planning mainstream GPU price increases in the range of 15% to 30%, depending on model and market conditions.
This is shaping up to be a rough period for the broader PC hardware market—not only for buyers hoping for better value, but also for vendors that depend heavily on consumer hardware sales. With component prices climbing and supply unpredictable, manufacturers are being pushed into difficult decisions on product mix, inventory planning, and pricing. Some hardware makers are already adjusting by revisiting older platforms and offering more flexible motherboard options that accommodate both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, signaling just how disruptive the current pricing environment has become.
For anyone planning a GPU upgrade, the takeaway is simple: supply issues are still ongoing, and prices may climb further if the current shortage continues—especially for in-demand NVIDIA RTX 50 series models and higher-VRAM graphics cards.
