Japanese retailer Applied has warned consumers about a potential graphics card price increase expected in 2026, which closely concerns the PC hardware world. While the company hasn’t given clear information on which models will be affected, it recommends users act quickly before the price hike.

The PC hardware market has been in significant turmoil for a long time, particularly due to the RAM shortage affecting almost all components. This makes the process even more difficult for users looking for graphics cards.

RAM Crisis and Price Uncertainty

According to information shared by VideoCardz, Japanese retailer Applied has issued an official warning about a possible new wave of price increases in graphics cards. While it remains unclear which specific models will be affected, the retailer emphasizes that PC owners planning upgrades should act quickly.

Retailers in Japan had already revised graphics card prices upwards recently. In August, stores in Akihabara informed consumers that prices would be 20 to 30 percent above normal levels.

Recent rumors of price increases from Nvidia’s partners suggest this may not be limited to Japan. At the root of this increase in graphics card prices lies the global RAM crisis, which has led to rising costs for video RAM on graphics cards.

PC owners have been facing significant difficulties finding affordable hardware upgrades since the beginning of 2026. The fact that the RAM crisis shows no signs of slowing down indicates that the situation is unlikely to improve anytime soon.

Long-Term Expectations and Market Situation

Reports from Samsung and industry analysts indicate that memory shortages could continue into 2027 and even beyond. These long-term predictions demonstrate the depth of supply chain issues in the hardware world.

In the current market, many third-party graphics cards based on Nvidia GeForce or AMD Radeon are either unavailable or quite expensive at major retailers. For example, at Best Buy in the US, the RTX 5080 model sells for $1,699, while the RTX 5060 model is priced between $450 and $500, despite a recommended retail price of $299.

A similar situation is observed on the AMD side, with the Radeon RX 9070 XT model reaching up to $929 instead of a recommended retail price of $599. Overclocked models produced by Gigabyte are among the most concrete examples of these price increases.

The Radeon RX 9060 XT (16GB) model is also sold for $200 to $300 above the recommended retail price. This makes buying a new graphics card quite illogical for users who are not new to the PC world.

Panic buying is not recommended by experts as it can increase demand and cause further price increases in the short term. Do you think it is logical to buy a new graphics card under the current market conditions, or is it more realistic to wait?