GPU News

Here’s a rundown of the biggest GPU news right now:

GPU Prices Are Surging The most significant story is a sharp rise in GPU prices. By February 2026, graphics cards are more expensive than MSRP in most regions, with an average global price increase of about 19% over the past three months. In November 2025, $1,000 would have bought you an RTX 5080; today that same budget only gets you an RTX 5070 Ti. TechSpot

The Culprit: A Global Memory Shortage Nvidia CFO Colette Kress confirmed that its gaming products are facing “supply constraints” that will be a headwind through Q1 and beyond. Reports indicate Nvidia has focused 75% of GPU production on its most VRAM-efficient models, including the 8GB RTX 5060, 8GB RTX 5060 Ti, and 12GB RTX 5070. Overclock3D

No New Nvidia Gaming GPUs in 2026 According to The Information, Nvidia does not plan to release a new graphics chip for gaming this year, which would mark the first time in nearly three decades the company has gone a full year without a new gaming GPU. The AI-driven memory shortage is pushing Nvidia to prioritize memory for AI accelerators over consumer cards. Nvidia has also delayed its RTX 50 Super refresh (“Kicker”) and the next-gen RTX 60 series. TrendForce That said, one report from Overclockers claims at least one high-end SKU, possibly an RTX 5090 Ti, could surface around Q3 2026, though its existence is far from confirmed. Notebookcheck

AMD Is Holding Its Own The Radeon RX 9070 XT delivers raw performance within striking distance of the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti for far less money as of February 2026, making it a standout option. Tom’s Hardware However, AMD isn’t immune to the memory crisis either.  Radeon GPU prices increased 5–10% in early 2026, with further hikes expected. TweakTown

What’s Coming Next Nvidia’s GTC 2026 conference is on the horizon, where teases of the Rubin GPU architecture, aimed at five times the AI performance of Blackwell, are expected, along with hints at the Feynman architecture using TSMC’s advanced process. Tom’s Guide The RTX 60 series is now likely not until 2028.

The bottom line: if you need a GPU now, prices are painful, and supply is tight, and they may not get much better anytime soon.

• NVIDIA 2026 Strategy: For the first time in three decades, NVIDIA may not release new gaming GPUs this year to focus on AI, according to reports in The Information and highlighted by YouTube.
• Severe Shortages & Price Hikes: A global memory chip shortage is driving up prices, with TechRadar reporting a 15% average price hike across all models. TrendForce reports RTX 5090 prices could approach $5,000.
• Consumer GPU Production Cuts: OC3D reports NVIDIA plans a 30-40% reduction in consumer GPU supply compared to early 2025.
• AMD Impact: Wccftech reports that high prices for AMD Radeon RX 9000 series have led to a drop in demand in some markets.
• Shift to Lower VRAM Models: YouTube notes that NVIDIA is focusing production on 8GB and 12GB models, potentially discontinuing higher-VRAM models

Nvidia reportedly won’t release any new RTX GPUs in 2026 Tom’s Hardware, according to The Information. This is significant because Nvidia’s RTX 50 series Super refresh is supposedly design complete Tom’s Hardware, but the company has apparently decided to hold off on launching it until 2027.

This news is noteworthy since it means there will be a longer-than-usual gap in consumer GPU releases from Nvidia, the market leader in graphics cards, despite having refreshed models ready to go.

GPU news today is dominated by reports of a “very high-end” NVIDIA RTX 50 series card in development and a severe pricing crisis fueled by global memory shortages. 

NVIDIA: Rumors of a New Flagship

• RTX 5090 Ti or TITAN Blackwell: Fresh reports today, February 9, 2026, indicate NVIDIA is developing an ultra-high-end “halo” GPU slated for a Q3 2026 release. This card is rumored to feature a full GB202 core with up to 24,576 CUDA cores and 48GB of GDDR7 memory.
• Production Cuts & Delays: Due to ongoing VRAM shortages, NVIDIA is reportedly cutting production of mainstream RTX 50-series cards by up to 40%. Plans for an RTX 50-series “Super” refresh have been indefinitely postponed or cancelled for 2026.
• Next-Gen Timeline: Analysts now suggest the RTX 60-series (Rubin) will not debut until 2028, meaning the current Blackwell architecture will remain the flagship for several years. 

Market Impact: The 2026 Pricing Crisis

Rising DRAM costs are causing widespread price hikes across all GPU tiers: 

• Enthusiast Tier: The RTX 5090 is currently selling for a median street price of $3,699, nearly double its $2,000 MSRP.
• Mainstream Tier: The RTX 5070 Ti has spiked to $1,069, while AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 XT has risen to $769, up from its $600 launch price.
• Ultra-Premium: MSI’s limited-edition RTX 5090 Lightning Z launched this weekend at $5,200. With only 1,300 units worldwide, MSI is using a lottery system for potential buyers.

1. Nvidia is likely skipping all new gaming GPUs in 2026

Multiple reports citing The Information say Nvidia will not release any new GeForce gaming GPUs in 2026, marking the first time in roughly three decades without a consumer GPU launch. The reason consistently cited is the global memory shortage, with Nvidia prioritizing high‑margin AI and data‑center GPUs over gaming hardware. Reports also suggest RTX 50 “Super” refreshes are shelved, and even the RTX 60‑series may not ship until 2028. Nvidia has acknowledged constrained memory supply but has not confirmed a full pause. [tomshardware.com], [techradar.com], [trustedreviews.com]

Why it matters:
This fundamentally reshapes the GPU upgrade cycle for gamers and helps explain why prices are staying high despite an aging generation.

2. GPU prices are rising again as memory costs spike

Both AMD and Nvidia partners are raising GPU prices, with reports confirming another round of Radeon price hikes is expected between February and March 2026, following a 5–10% increase in January. Rising VRAM and DRAM costs, driven by AI demand, are forcing board partners to protect margins. Nvidia GPUs are already selling above MSRP in many regions, and AMD is narrowing its traditional price advantage. [tweaktown.com], [ca.news.yahoo.com], [vgtimes.com]

Why it matters:
The era of “waiting for prices to come down” appears over for now. AI is effectively pricing gamers out of the low‑ and mid‑range.

3. Intel recommits to GPUs—just not gaming (yet)

Intel’s CEO confirmed the company will build GPUs at scale and has hired Eric Demers (former AMD/Qualcomm GPU architect) to lead the effort. However, at the same time, reports indicate Intel has canceled the Arc B770 gaming GPU, shifting focus instead to AI‑ and workstation‑oriented GPUs like the Arc Pro B70 with 32 GB of VRAM. Intel says GPUs are “very important,” but near‑term priorities are clearly data centers and AI acceleration. [money.usnews.com], [tweaktown.com], [winbuzzer.com]