PC gamers are asking 'what's next?' as RAM crisis sparks further rumors of
GPU price hikes, and gaming monitors could get more expensive

Date:
Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:02:24 +0000

Description:
Graphics card maker warns that GPUs are due 'substantial' price hikes, and
I'd buy now rather than wait the same might be true of gaming monitors.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter GPU price hikes are coming
later this year, PC Partner Group warns The parent company of Zotac notes
that entry-level GPUs will suffer 'more severe shortages' A manufacturer of gaming monitors, KTC, has also warned on price hikes PC gamers should be
aware that there are further signs that GPUs could get more expensive, and gaming monitors too, so you might want to consider buying now rather than waiting.

First off, the gloomy GPU news which comes from PC Partner Group (PC PG), an Asian graphics card giant based in Singapore and the parent company of Zotac, Inno3D, and Manli. VideoCardz reports that PC PG just published its latest fiscal results that came with a warning on GPU pricing as part of the trends and conditions which are likely to affect the company's finances in the upcoming year. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

PC PG notes that "graphics memory costs are expected to rise further, leading to a substantial increase in VGA Card costs in the second half of the year." VGA Card simply refers to discrete PC graphics cards, and although it's a
well outdated term now, it's one still used behind the scenes in the
industry.

PC PG says that shipments of GPUs "declined substantially" in the first half of this year, and that they're likely to drop further in the second half of 2026. The firm writes that: "Beyond the price increases, entry-level VGA
Cards are expected to face even more severe shortages, which may further
drive ASP [the 'average selling price'] upward in the second half of 2026." You may like AMD Radeon GPU prices might be going up amid the RAM crisis
Rumor suggests big GPU price hikes are coming so should you buy now? Retail prices for Nvidia's RTX GPUs may increase due to RAM crisis

The company also highlights that other PC components, including system RAM
and CPUs, are taking longer to get hold of.

VideoCardz also noticed that monitor pricing could be on an upward trajectory, too, as manufacturer KTC has issued a notice of a likely 'product price adjustment' in the future. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

KTC observes that the "production cost of monitors has increased significantly" and that it can no longer absorb those pressures, therefore: "KTC's monitor product line may see a price increase in the future."

While that's just a 'may' rather than a 'will' or a certainty, it sounds like there's a high likelihood of it happening. Particularly because KTC advises: "For users with a clear need to purchase a device [monitor] in the near future, the current pricing window offers excellent value for money, and we recommend planning your purchase time accordingly."

And at the end of its statement, KTC talks about price adjustments being a "necessary measure", so it sounds pretty much like they're coming no matter what. What to read next More hefty GPU price hikes are rumored this time
from MSI 5 things to buy now before the RAM crisis worsens from SSDs to MacBooks The RAM crisis will last 'quite a few years' says Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Analysis: is anything immune to the component crisis? (Image credit: Alastair Jennings) This isn't the only warning on monitor price increases, as AOC recently said that the rising cost of components for its products will mean price hikes starting from this month. Is this the start of a growing trend? The bigger monitor producers will, of course, have more financial wherewithal to weather component rises, but it may only be so long before
even those firms start to jack up prices.

The way things are going, I wouldn't bet against it, and this latest news has people on social media asking what isn't immune to the RAM crisis and what might we expect to see hit next?

How about pricier PC cases, one Redditor jokes : "Wouldn't you enjoy a simple case costing like $300?"

The crisis does feel rather relentless at this point, but the clearest worry is now GPUs. PC Gamer is tracking graphics card prices on a weekly basis, and there have been some clear cost increases coming through in the last few weeks, which suggests that PC PG's prediction is on the money here. And there are multiple other rumors of late warning that graphics cards are set for considerable price hikes. For me, this noise is becoming too consistent to ignore.

As I recently advised , if you need a graphics card upgrade, or think you will in the next year or two, I believe now is the right time to get in and buy . It's particularly notable that according to this latest rumor, entry-level GPUs are mentioned as apparently coming under more pressure, meaning that mainstream buyers are going to be suffering.

The effects of pricier video RAM, and other pressures besides, are no longer going to be mostly about high-end (or 16GB) cards becoming ridiculously expensive, and we could see some unfortunate hikes with lower-end GPUs.

There's very little good news of late across the gamut of PC components, and as we've already seen today, RAM and SSDs are getting even more expensive . Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. The best laptops for all budgets Our top picks, based on real-world testing and comparisons

Read our full guide to the best laptops 1. Best overall: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M5 2. Best budget: Apple MacBook Neo 3. Best Windows 11 laptop Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch 4. Best thin and light: Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 5. Best Ultrabook Asus Zenbook S 16



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/gpu/pc-gamers-are-asking-whats-next-as-ram -crisis-sparks-further-rumors-of-gpu-price-hikes-and-gaming-monitors-could-get -more-expensive


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