- The AI-powered memory shortage is pushing new hardware prices out of reach, leaving gamers helpless.
- PC components and even consoles are about to become a whole lot expensive starting next year, and gaming will become an expensive hobby.
- Cloud Gaming is a cheap alternative for gamers and is relatively affordable if you live in a region where it’s supported and have a good internet connection.
While all electronics are facing the ramifications of the AI boom, which has surged hardware prices to never-before-seen heights, PC gamers are set to bear the brunt of the effect.
In 2025 alone, RAM prices increased by 123%, and another 45% is expected next year, making them one of the most expensive PC components. GPU is set to follow suit, and new revised prices may be announced as soon as next week. As such, buying or upgrading hardware will no longer be possible for most gamers.
This may force gamers to resort to the only cheap option left, which is cloud gaming. Giants like Nvidia and Xbox have been pushing remote-hosted gaming for a while now, and 2026 may finally be the year they take off.
Why it matters: Video games are becoming more demanding each year, and the lack of sufficient hardware due to this inflation will cause the industry to decline. Cloud gaming may be the only feasible option for most to game cost-effectively.
The Hardware Landscape in 2026 and Beyond
A 64GB DDR5 RAM kit costs more than a PS5 right now, and it doesn’t stop there. SSD prices have also increased, and while this increment is minimal in comparison, the 25-30$ hike is still notable.
Nvidia and AMD are also expected to announce a price revision for their GPU lineups starting in January. Since their memory contracts based on older prices end soon, newer contracts will cost more, which will in turn raise GPU prices. Multiple hikes are expected throughout 2026.
On the flip side, consoles like the PlayStation 5, Switch 2, and the Xbox Series X|S will cost 10-15% more next year because of the same AI-powered memory shortage. If this goes on for long enough, next-gen consoles may even be pushed from their initial release.
Unfortunately, things won’t get better anytime soon, and this drought is expected to last for at least a couple of years. Therefore, cloud gaming may be a good option for those who can’t buy new hardware.
Could Cloud Gaming Be the Solution?
While Cloud Gaming has existed for more than a decade now, it wasn’t the best gaming solution in its early years due to regional locks and notable input lag, which made the gameplay experience far from ideal.
However, things have improved over the past few years. Specifically, Xbox has been pushing Cloud Gaming and making it accessible across any smart device, from smartphones to laptops to even TVs.
Xbox’s Direct Capture has also minimised input latency by a vast margin, and the gaming giant claims it reduces the time to register a control by 16-72ms. At the same time, Nvidia has been advancing its GeForce Now program, making it a reliable streaming option.
Furthermore, high internet speeds have also made cloud gaming more accessible for a wider audience. One survey of nearly 22k participants also found that 47% of gamers exclusively play games in the cloud.
Is It Cheap?
With the prices of everything related to gaming going up, one might expect the same for Cloud Gaming, even though that isn’t the case. As a matter of fact, Cloud Gaming has become more affordable, if anything.
GeForce Now costs anywhere from $9.99 to $19.99 a month, depending on the package you get, and on the expensive side, players get RTX 50-Series GPU-level performance with RTX enabled.
On the other hand, Xbox Cloud Gaming has now also expanded beyond Game Pass Ultimate and is now available with Game Pass Core, too. In the future, Microsoft is expected to introduce a free version of the service with ads.
Should You Shift Toward Cloud Gaming?
Cloud Gaming is relatively cheap if you account for the higher hardware prices in recent years and the fact that it’s convenient, depending on your internet connection. At the end of the day, answering the question of whether you should make the shift towards cloud gaming really boils down to the user.
If you don’t have sufficient hardware to play the latest games, live in a country where these services are enabled, and have a good internet connection, we highly recommend opting for either of these two cloud services, or even a smaller one like Shadow or Amazon’s Luna.
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[Staff Writer]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
Get In Touch: shaheerzahid03@gmail.com
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