Why Are GPU Prices Rising Again in 2026?
Lennon Byatt
If you’ve been looking at upgrading your gaming PC recently, you may have noticed something frustrating: graphics cards aren’t getting cheaper as quickly as you might expect.
With NVIDIA RTX 50 Series and AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series cards now well established, you might think prices would simply settle over time. But in 2026, the GPU market is being affected by something much bigger than gaming.
So, why are GPU prices rising again - and should you buy now or wait?
Here’s the simple explanation.
Recommended 1440p Gaming PC Specifications
For the best balance of performance and value, we recommend:
| Component | Recommendation |
|
CPU
|
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
|
|
GPU
|
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 or AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
|
|
RAM
|
32GB DDR5 6000MHz
|
|
Storage
|
2TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD
|
|
Motherboard
|
B650
|
|
PSU
|
750W 80 PLUS Gold
|
This specification is capable of running modern AAA games at high frame rates while providing plenty of headroom for future releases.
Browse AWD-IT's latest AMD Ryzen Processors:
https://www.awd-it.co.uk/components/cpu-processors/amd-cpu.html
1. AI Is Putting Huge Pressure on Memory Production
One of the biggest reasons is the continued growth of AI and data centres.
Modern AI servers require enormous amounts of high-performance memory. As demand has increased, memory manufacturers have prioritised production for server and AI hardware, where demand remains extremely strong.
That matters to gamers because graphics cards also rely on specialised memory such as GDDR6 and GDDR7.
Industry analysts at TrendForce reported in September 2026 that production of GDDR6 is being reduced, while GDDR7 output remains limited as manufacturing capacity is increasingly allocated towards server memory.
Less available supply + continued demand = higher component costs.
2. Graphics Card Memory Is Getting More Expensive
The GPU itself isn't the only expensive component on a graphics card.
That 8GB, 12GB or 16GB of VRAM attached to it matters too.
Current-generation NVIDIA cards increasingly use GDDR7, while many AMD Radeon cards continue to use GDDR6.
Both are being affected by the wider memory market.
Throughout 2026, memory prices have risen sharply, with TrendForce reporting continued increases across the DRAM market. Those higher costs can eventually work their way into the price of finished graphics cards.
So even if the GPU chip itself doesn't change, the cost of building the complete graphics card can.
The GPU itself isn't the only expensive component on a graphics card
3. It's Not Just Gamers Buying Powerful GPUs
Gaming used to be the obvious reason someone wanted a powerful graphics card.
That's no longer the case.
GPUs are now heavily used for:
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AI workloads
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3D rendering
-
Video production
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Machine learning
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Content creation
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Professional applications
-
Gaming
That means manufacturers aren't designing and producing GPUs exclusively around the gaming market.
Gaming is now competing with industries that are willing to spend significantly more on computing hardware.
4. Higher VRAM Is Becoming More Important
There's another factor pushing graphics cards forward: games are becoming increasingly demanding.
Higher-resolution textures, ray tracing and modern game engines can all increase VRAM usage.
That's why we're seeing cards such as the RX 9070 XT with 16GB, RTX 5070 Ti with 16GB and even larger capacities further up the market.
More memory can be great for gamers - especially at 1440p and 4K — but increasing the amount and speed of memory also increases the cost of producing the card.
It doesn't mean every graphics card will suddenly become more expensive
Are All GPU Prices Going Up?
No.
This is an important distinction.
It doesn't mean every graphics card will suddenly become more expensive.
Retail pricing depends on a huge number of factors including:
Stock levels, manufacturer pricing, individual GPU models, board partners, promotions and retailer discounts.
You may still see excellent deals on certain cards even while the wider cost of producing PC hardware is increasing.
That's why comparing price-to-performance is more important than simply buying the newest GPU.
Average FPS vs 1% Low
Here’s a simple example:
| Gaming PC | Average FPS | 1% Low |
|
PC A
|
160 FPS
|
65 fps
|
|
PC B
|
145 FPS
|
110 FPS
|
At first glance, PC A looks faster because it has the higher average FPS.
But PC B maintains much stronger performance during demanding moments.
For someone actually playing the game, PC B may therefore provide the smoother and more consistent experience.
This is one reason AWD-IT's existing performance guides sometimes refer to maintaining strong 1% lows alongside average FPS.
Bigger Numbers Don’t Always Mean Better for You
This is an important one.
A higher model number can often mean a newer or more powerful product, but that doesn’t automatically mean it is the right choice for your setup.
If you only want to play games at 1080p, you may not need the same hardware as someone gaming at 4K.
Likewise, someone playing competitive games has different priorities from someone mainly playing slower single-player titles.
The best gaming PC is not always the one with the biggest numbers.
It’s the one that matches what you actually want to do.
Should You Buy a GPU Now or Wait?
There's no perfect time to buy PC hardware.
Prices can fall, new cards can launch and deals can appear without much warning.
Instead, ask yourself a simpler question:
Does your current graphics card still give you the performance you want?
If you're comfortably playing your games at your preferred resolution and frame rate, there may be little reason to upgrade immediately.
But if you're struggling to reach the FPS you want, running out of VRAM or moving from 1080p to 1440p or 4K, upgrading can make considerably more sense.
Waiting purely because you're expecting GPU prices to suddenly collapse isn't guaranteed to pay off.
What GPU Should You Buy in 2026?
Rather than looking for the most expensive card you can afford, start with what you actually want to play.
For example:
1080p Gaming
Cards such as the RTX 5060 and RX 9060 XT can make strong starting points for modern gaming.
1440p Gaming
Moving towards an RTX 5070, RTX 5070 Ti, RX 9070 or RX 9070 XT gives you considerably more performance for higher resolutions and refresh rates.
4K Gaming
Higher-end cards such as the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 are designed for gamers chasing demanding 4K performance, ray tracing and high frame rates.
The best GPU isn't automatically the fastest one.
It's the one that gives you the performance you need without paying for performance you'll never use.
Rather than looking for the most expensive card you can afford, start with what you actually want to play.
Background Downloads Are Easy to Miss
Modern games receive large updates, and your launcher may continue downloading additional content while you’re playing.
Windows, Steam, Discord, cloud storage and other applications can also be active in the background.
If your performance suddenly feels worse after installing an update, open Task Manager and check whether anything else is heavily using your:
CPU, RAM, storage or network connection.
Sometimes the simplest explanation is the right one.
Best Sim Racing Setup for Beginners: Start With the Essentials
You don’t need a full cockpit immediately. A well‑chosen beginner setup helps you develop skills faster and keeps costs under control.
1. Steering Wheel and Pedals (Top Priority)
Your wheel and pedals are the most important part of any sim racing rig. Force feedback allows you to feel grip changes, kerbs, and steering resistance—crucial for learning car control.
Beginner tip: Focus on force feedback quality rather than raw power.
Your wheel and pedals are the most important part of any sim racing rig. Force feedback allows you to feel grip changes, kerbs, and steering resistance—crucial for learning car control.
Creators in attendance
Stacked lineup
Experience zones
Arcades · Sim rigs · PCs
Tech on display
Latest gen builds
Verdict
Showroom certified
Pick Your Tier
We've named each tier after a tournament stage, because let's be honest, that's exactly the kind of thing we'd do. Find your budget and dive in.
Group Stage
Round of 32
Quarter Final
World Cup Final
Don't Forget Your Monitor
Your PC can produce hundreds of frames every second, but your monitor also needs to be capable of displaying high refresh rates for you to fully benefit from them.
A smoother combination of strong FPS, consistent frame delivery and an appropriate refresh rate can make games feel significantly better.
If you're unsure what Hz means, read AWD-IT's guide to why monitor refresh rate matters, or browse the latest gaming monitors.
A smoother combination of strong FPS, consistent frame delivery and an appropriate refresh rate can make games feel significantly better.
How Much Storage Do You Need?
We’d aim for 1TB of SSD storage where the budget allows.
Modern games are large.
Once Windows, launchers and a few major games are installed, a smaller SSD can fill up faster than you expect.
The good news is that storage is another part of a gaming PC that can usually be expanded later.
So don’t reject an otherwise strong system solely because you may want another SSD in the future.
More demanding games will require a little more thought
What Games Can an £800 Gaming PC Play?
A modern gaming PC in this bracket should be comfortable with a wide range of games.
For example:
Competitive Games
Titles such as Valorant, Fortnite and Counter-Strike 2 are generally much easier to run than the latest cinematic AAA releases.
That means an £800 system can make a lot of sense if your goal is 1080p high-refresh-rate gaming.
AAA Games
More demanding games will require a little more thought.
You may need to use:
- High instead of Ultra settings
- DLSS or FSR
- Frame Generation where supported
- A sensible FPS target
That isn’t a bad thing.
Ultra settings aren't a requirement for enjoying PC games.
Often, High settings look extremely similar while offering noticeably better performance.
Expected Gaming Performance
|
Your Setup
|
1440p High
|
|
1080p Single Monitor
|
Modern 6-core CPU, RTX 5060-class GPU, 16–32GB RAM
|
|
1440p Single Monitor
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Strong modern CPU, RTX 5070-class GPU, 32GB RAM
|
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Triple Screens
|
Strong CPU, RTX 5070 Ti / RX 9070 XT-class GPU or above, 32GB RAM
|
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VR
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Modern 8-core CPU, powerful current GPU, 32GB RAM
|
These aren't hard requirements.
They're sensible starting points for a new gaming PC, with some headroom rather than simply aiming to scrape past iRacing's minimum specification.
Your required performance will vary with resolution, monitor count, VR headset, grid size, graphics settings, drivers and other software running in the background.
Do You Need to Connect Every Port?
Absolutely not.
This is probably the most useful thing for a beginner to know.
The back of a gaming PC may have lots of connections because it needs to support many different setups.
You don't need to fill them all.
For a basic gaming setup, you may only need:
Power
Monitor
Keyboard
Mouse
Internet
Audio
That's enough to start gaming.
Everything else can be added when you need it.
Should You Spend Slightly More Than £800?
This is worth considering.
At the time of writing, AWD-IT has several RTX 5060 systems sitting just above the £800 mark.
For example, the RTX 5060 Charger is currently listed at £809.99, while the RTX 5060 Forge is £824.99.
That creates an important question:
If your absolute budget is £800, stick to it.
But if you can comfortably stretch another £20–£30, check what that additional money actually gets you before ordering.
Sometimes the next GPU tier is close enough in price that stretching the budget makes sense.
Other times it doesn’t.
That’s why comparing current prices matters.
Don't Forget the Monitor
There’s little point building a PC capable of high frame rates and pairing it with a display that doesn’t suit the system.
For an £800 gaming PC, 1080p at 120Hz, 144Hz, 165Hz or similar can make a very good pairing depending on the games you play.
Competitive gamers will benefit more from higher refresh rates.
Someone mainly playing slower single-player games may care more about screen size and image quality.
Again, balance matters.
A sensible £800 system can be your starting point
Can You Upgrade an £800 Gaming PC Later?
Yes — and that’s one of the biggest advantages of getting into PC gaming.
Over time, you can potentially upgrade things such as:
RAM
Storage
Graphics card
Processor
Cooling
You don’t need to buy your final gaming PC on day one.
A sensible £800 system can be your starting point.
Then upgrade when your needs actually change.
So, What's the Best Gaming PC Under £800?
At current AWD-IT pricing, we’d look closely at three options:
AWD-IT Mars – Ryzen 5 5500 + RX 7600
Great value if straightforward 1080p gaming performance is the priority.
AWD-IT Mesh – Ryzen 5 5500 + RTX 5050
A strong NVIDIA option with support for modern RTX features.
AWD-IT M120R – Ryzen 5 5500 + RTX 5050
Similar core performance with a different overall build and design.
Prices and configurations can change, so always check the current specification before ordering.
The Bottom Line
GPU pricing in 2026 isn't being driven by one single problem.
The huge growth of AI infrastructure, rising memory costs, limited GDDR production and increasing hardware requirements are all putting pressure on the graphics-card market.
That doesn't mean PC gaming is suddenly unaffordable.
It simply makes choosing the right hardware more important than ever.
Before upgrading, consider your games, resolution, target FPS and budget — then choose the graphics card that actually matches them.
At AWD-IT, you can compare the latest NVIDIA GeForce and AMD Radeon graphics cards, whether you're upgrading an existing system or planning your next gaming PC.
Related Guides
- Best SSD for Gaming in 2026
- Best Graphics Card for 1440p Gaming
- Best CPU for RTX 5070
- What Is Resizable BAR?
- How Much RAM Do You Need for Gaming?
- GTA 6 PC System Requirements (Predicted)
