The artificial intelligence boom could soon drive up GPU prices, so now is a good time to buy one

When somebody asks me for recommendation on shopping for devices, I often inform them to stay with their present machine. In 2025, most new tech merchandise aren’t a worthwhile improve over what was launched a number of years in the past — and with the worth of every little thing going up, the brand new iPhone can wait. However issues will not be regular now.

On December 3, The Wall Avenue Journal reminiscence maker Micron is reportedly shutting down Essential, its shopper enterprise, to concentrate on elements for the AI ​​trade. The PC I am writing this text on has an SSD and RAM from Essential. In a single day, Micron determined to finish a enterprise it spent a long time constructing, and from a sure perspective, I believe it is sensible. In latest months, OpenAI has signed infrastructure offers value greater than $1.4 trillion, creating unprecedented demand for server-grade solid-state storage and RAM.

To satisfy the momentum, producers have allotted extra of their manufacturing capability and wafers to high-margin industrial prospects. For customers, the end result has been rising RAM costs, with some DDR5 kits now costing two or 3 times as a lot as a number of months in the past. Latest evaluation from TrendForce reveals that the worth of some consumer-grade SSDs rose between 20 and 60 p.c in November for a similar cause. Subsequent is LPDDR5X reminiscence, which is utilized in each smartphones and NVIDIA’s Grace Blackwell and Vera Rubin platforms. In 2026, the worth can also be anticipated to extend. The demand for AI infrastructure is such that every one shopper electronics could value extra within the coming months.

This brings me to the aim of this text. Should you’ve been occupied with upgrading to a brand new graphics card, I might suggest shopping for one sooner slightly than later. The AI ​​increase got here first for RAM, and there are already indicators that it’ll come for GPU costs subsequent. A latest report means that AMD is contemplating elevating the MSRP of its 8GB fashions by $20 and 16GB fashions by $40 as a result of worth of GDDR6 reminiscence. In the meantime, NVIDIA reportedly not too long ago advised its board companions that it might not provide VRAM for his or her playing cards.

Neither NVIDIA nor AMD responded to requests for remark from Engadget asking them to say how they plan to work with their board companions to make sure GPU costs stay secure. NVIDIA additionally didn’t touch upon studies that the corporate will cease offering VRAM to its board companions.

Regardless of the shortage of reminiscence, neither NVIDIA nor AMD are anticipated to launch new GPUs anytime quickly. Based on latest rumors, the earliest refresh of the Blackwell line is someday in mid-2026 – not at CES in January, because the Tremendous 40 sequence playing cards did in 2024. The reminiscence soar might complicate issues there as effectively, as the corporate has sometimes relied on extra and quicker VRAM of its personal to ship higher efficiency. With the 50-series Tremendous GPUs, NVIDIA will not be asserting them on the identical MSRP as their non-Tremendous predecessors, as was the case with the 40-series.

As for AMD, the corporate debuted its RDNA 4 playing cards earlier this yr. We all know it is already engaged on RDNA 5, and if a latest chat with Sony’s Mark Cerny is any indication, the brand new structure will probably be an enormous change for AMD. Nonetheless, rumors now point out that the earliest RDNA 5 might arrive is someday in 2027.

In different phrases, with nothing new on the horizon and the worth of present inventory more likely to rise, there could solely be a brief window the place you may get a brand new GPU at an affordable worth. It is unimaginable to foretell the longer term, however if you happen to want an improve and have the means to purchase, there will not be a greater alternative earlier than the top of 2026.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The suggestions in Engadget’s newest GPU information are nonetheless as related at this time as they have been a number of months in the past. As soon as once more, the very best recommendation I can provide is to purchase a card with not less than 12GB of VRAM, and ideally 16GB in case your funds permits. Except you are primarily planning to play older video games on a 1080p monitor, it isn’t value contemplating a mannequin with 8GB of VRAM – it will not final you lengthy sufficient to warrant the acquisition worth.

Our suggestions are grouped from probably the most inexpensive to the most costly. The place attainable, I’ve tried to search out choices from each Newegg and Amazon. You will not discover any high-end decisions just like the RTX 5080 as a result of if you happen to can afford that card, this information is not for you.

Intel Arc B580

For these on a good funds, I’d begin and finish my analysis with the Intel Arc B580. Newegg has fashions from ASRock and Onix at or beneath the cardboard’s $250 MSRP. I am unable to converse for the standard of the ONIX playing cards, however ASRock is effectively regarded. On Amazon, yow will discover the B580 for $300. With Intel playing cards you typically must put up with the odd driver downside, however so far as funds choices go, the B580 gives worth that is exhausting to beat. The one factor about funds playing cards just like the B580 is that they’re more likely to face probably the most worth stress from the reminiscence crunch as a result of smaller margins producers are making on them.

NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti 16 GB

In case you have greater than $250 to spend on a GPU, the RTX 5060 Ti is the GPU to purchase. Skip the 8GB mannequin and go straight for the 16GB variant. NVIDIA introduced the 5060 Ti with an MSRP of $429, and fortuitously as of this writing, you may nonetheless discover one near that worth.

Newegg, for instance, is promoting the MSI Ventus Black Plus model of the cardboard for $440. Amazon has the silver coloration of the identical GPU listed for $460 at the moment. The retailer additionally has fashions from Gigabyte and Zotac at and across the identical worth.

If I had to decide on between the 5060 Ti and the 5070, which NVIDIA solely gives with 12GB of VRAM, I might select the previous. The 5060 Ti is a safer guess and gives almost as a lot efficiency, particularly in video games that embrace ray tracing as an possibility.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT

For a mid-range possibility, the Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT supply wonderful worth. Of the 2 playing cards, the 9070 is the higher purchase for most individuals as a result of much less demanding energy necessities, however you probably have a PSU that may deal with the 9070 XT, go for it.

Proper now, Newegg has a number of 9070 fashions from ASRock and Sapphire for slightly below the cardboard’s $549 MSRP. My pal not too long ago bought the Sapphire card linked above, and he had nothing however good issues to say about it. You may pay extra going by way of Amazon, however the firm has some choices round $600 from XFX and Gigabyte.

In terms of the 9070 XT, Newegg has an ASRock mannequin priced proper on the card’s $599 MSRP. Most of the different choices from Sapphire and XFX are sadly priced between $650 and $700. The identical is true on Amazon, the place the most cost effective mannequin I might discover was $630.

NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti

For our last suggestion, think about the RTX 5070 Ti. It is an awesome possibility if you wish to play 4K video games for lower than the 5080 and 5090. Newegg has the MSI and Zotac fashions on sale for $750, the really helpful worth of the cardboard. There are additionally plenty of different choices from ASUS and Gigabyte that value simply over $800. Amazon, in the meantime, is promoting a Gigabyte variant for $749.