your next GPU is about to cost 30% more — and it has nothing to do with Nvidia

MSI just told investors gaming hardware prices are rising 15 to 30% this year, and the actual culprit is a DRAM shortage AI datacenters are causing,… Aliteq Ravi Malhotra · Hardware Editor

MSI is raising gaming hardware prices 15-30% across 2026, calling it the toughest year in company history.

Blended DRAM contract prices jumped roughly 80% quarter-over-quarter in Q1 2026 alone; some year-over-year figures run past 100%.

A 16GB memory module priced around $40 a year ago now costs $170-180, with spot prices reaching $200.

GDDR6 spot prices have roughly tripled since 2025.

Analysts don't expect meaningful relief until late 2027, possibly 2028.

If you actually need one — your card died, you're building this month — buy now. Every signal points to prices climbing further before they fall, and 'wait for a sale' isn't a strategy when the…

Should you buy a GPU right now?

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