If you've priced up a new graphics card lately and got a bit of a shock, you're not imagining it. GPU prices have been drifting upwards all through 2026, and the same thing that pushed up console and RAM prices is behind it: memory. AMD has already nudged Radeon prices higher, with Tom's Hardware reporting a rise of roughly $10 for every 8GB of VRAM and a further hike already scheduled. Reports out of the supply chain point to another 10–15% climb on Radeon cards in the second half of the year. So the question I keep getting is a fair one. Buy now, or wait it out?
Why cards are getting dearer
It comes down to memory again. Modern graphics cards are stuffed with fast GDDR6 and GDDR7 memory, and the AI datacentre boom has been hoovering up the world's memory supply. That's driven GDDR spot prices up sharply (by some estimates GDDR6 has roughly tripled since late 2025), and memory now makes up a huge share of what a card actually costs to build. At the very top end it's gone a bit silly: the RTX 5090 launched at a $1,999 recommended price, and TechPowerUp has covered leaks predicting worst-case prices as high as $5,000. Thankfully most of us aren't shopping at that end. The pressure still works its way down the whole range, though.
What actually offers value right now
The mid-range still makes sense, and that's where most gamers should be looking anyway. You don't need a flagship to play brilliantly at 1080p or 1440p. Based on PC Gamer's current graphics card picks, the cards worth your money in 2026 sit in a few clear tiers:
- Solid 1080p: Nvidia's RTX 5060 is the easy pick if you're gaming on a 1080p monitor and want DLSS on your side.
- Budget 1080p: Intel's Arc B580 with 12GB doesn't get much attention, but it's been good value and flies in esports titles. Worth a look if money's tight.
- The 1440p sweet spot: the RTX 5070 hits the best balance of performance, ray tracing and frame generation for most people stepping up to 1440p.
- More VRAM for the money: AMD's RX 9060 XT 16GB is a strong 1440p option, and the extra memory gives you more headroom in newer, heavier games.
One thing worth flagging: aim for at least 12GB of VRAM if you're at 1440p, and 16GB if you want the card to last a good few years. Skimping on memory is the quickest way to feel forced into another upgrade sooner than you'd like.
Buy now or hold on?
Nobody serious in the industry is predicting price cuts in the near future. The memory squeeze is expected to run well into next year. So "waiting for prices to drop" is a bet that probably won't pay off, and you spend the whole time gaming on a card you've already decided isn't good enough.
If your current card is really holding you back, I'd buy a sensible mid-range GPU today. If it's still coping fine, there's no shame in sitting tight. Just don't wait expecting a bargain to turn up.
Before you buy
Another Radeon increase looks likely later in the year, so if you've already picked a card there's no reason to sit on it. There are still good mid-range cards for 1080p and 1440p, and most gamers don't need to spend more than that. Match the card to the games and the monitor you actually have, not the ones you might have in three years.
