GPU prices have soared as memory supply tightens, with no end in sight despite industry optimism. As AI data centers hoard memory, consumer tech faces severe shortages. Component prices are skyrocketing, and supplies are dwindling, leaving everyday consumers paying the price.
Known as "chipflation," GPU costs have vastly outpaced broader inflation, with DRAM prices projected to rise 400 percent by 2026. Nvidia's RTX 5090 now retails for $4,920 above its launch price, while Japanese markets see GPU prices 41 percent higher than US counterparts. JP Morgan reports a nearly 25 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for software and accessories over two years.
A 2026 Economist report links similar price rises to declining PC shipments. Opportunistic resellers are capitalizing, with Sony's PlayStation 5 Pro selling for $500 above MSRP. Chip producers have sold much of their 2027 supplies, focusing on 2028 and beyond.
At its core, the shortage is a memory problem, exacerbated by transitions from DDR4 to DDR5 and the specialized demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) in AI. Three companies control 90 percent of DRAM production, pivoting toward AI data centers at the expense of consumers. Until 2030, RAM price hikes seem inevitable.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing