On the heels of recent rumors that AMD might cancel its RX 9080 XT GPU, we have another report that the red brand might also simultaneously raise the prices of its graphics cards. A new report by the Japanese outlet Gazlog, citing Chinese Board Channels, suggests that AMD Radeon may raise prices by another 10-15% in the second half of 2026, with the change likely to take effect in the third quarter.
The speculation is that AMD will raise prices of its GPU and VRAM bundles by about 15% in Q3, due to increasing VRAM prices. The procurement costs of VRAM have been skyrocketing due to rising AI demand, and AMD has to succumb to the pressure by raising prices. It is important to note that AMD will raise prices for its AIB (add-in board) partners, who can then decide to increase rates further should they see fit.
Gazlog also reports that competitor NVIDIA currently has no plans to increase prices, and hasn’t yet notified its AIB partners of any price increases. However, NVIDIA has previously increased the price of the RTX 5090 series for its AIBs in May 2026. One can speculate that another NVIDIA price increase is also just around the corner, since its top-end GPU uses the much more expensive GDDR7 memory.
AMD also previously announced a price increase, notifying AIBs in November 2025. Since then, the spot price of GDDR6 memory has nearly tripled, rising from $2.50 per GB to $7.50 over the same period. Silicon Motion’s Wallace Kou’s analysis is that VRAM prices will continue to surge in the second half of 2026, and it looks like AMD concurs. As a result, AMD plans to implement the 10-15% price hike as early as July 2026.
Since GPU manufacturers (AMD and NVIDIA) provide GPU kits to their AIB partners that include the GPU die and VRAM, rising memory costs will affect graphics cards as a whole. We can expect the top-tier variants to be the most affected by this change, since they have the most VRAM. Retail prices may rise by even more than 15%, since board partners may decide to increase their profit margins as well.
Regardless, it doesn’t look like the situation will be settling down any time soon. The AI boom currently has no tangible end in sight, and DRAM remains in short supply. Industry experts speculate that VRAM costs will continue to climb for the rest of the year, which means waiting for graphics card prices to drop might be a pointless exercise.
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[PC Hardware Specialist]
Usman Saleem brings 8+ years of comprehensive PC hardware expertise to the table. His journey in the tech world has involved in-depth tech analysis and insightful PC hardware reviews, perfecting over 6+ years of dedicated work. Usman’s commitment to staying authentic and relevant in the field is underscored by many professional certifications, including a recent one in Google IT Support Specialization.
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