The GPU landscape in early 2026 is currently defined by a “memory crisis” that has shifted the focus from exciting new hardware to soaring prices and supply constraints. While the NVIDIA RTX 50-series and AMD RX 9000-series are out, the market is feeling the squeeze from the AI boom.
The Headlines: Price Hikes and Shortages
- The “RAMpocalypse”: High demand for AI data center components has caused a global shortage of VRAM (specifically GDDR7 and GDDR6). Reports indicate memory now accounts for nearly 80% of a GPU’s manufacturing cost.
- Phased Price Increases: Both NVIDIA and AMD are expected to implement monthly price hikes throughout Q1 2026. High-end cards like the RTX 5090 are already seeing street prices climb toward $3,000–$5,000.
- Supply Cuts: NVIDIA has reportedly cut production of mid-range cards like the RTX 5070 and 5060 Ti by up to 40% to prioritize the more profitable AI enterprise chips.
Manufacturer Updates
NVIDIA (Blackwell)
NVIDIA skipped new GPU announcements at CES 2026 for the first time in years.
- RTX 50-series SUPER: Currently delayed or indefinitely postponed. Rumors suggest NVIDIA won’t refresh the Blackwell lineup until AMD poses a greater threat in the high-end market.
- Current Flagship: The RTX 5090 (32GB GDDR7) remains the performance king, but availability is extremely limited.
- Feature Focus: The focus has shifted to DLSS 4.5, which brings further refinements to neural rendering and frame generation.
AMD (RDNA 4)
AMD’s Radeon RX 9000-series (formerly rumored as RX 8000) is the current alternative, focusing on value and rasterization.
- RX 9070 XT & 9060 XT: These are the primary current-gen offerings. AMD has managed to stay slightly more price-competitive by sticking with GDDR6 memory rather than the scarcer GDDR7.
- VRAM Strategy: AMD is reportedly prioritizing 8GB models of their mid-range cards to keep prices closer to MSRP while memory costs remain high.
Intel (Battlemage)
- Arc B770 Cancelled: In a disappointing turn for budget builders, the high-end “Big Battlemage” (B770) was reportedly shelved due to financial viability.
- Workstation Shift: The BMG-G31 die intended for the B770 is being repurposed into the Arc Pro B70, a workstation card with 32GB of VRAM launching this quarter.
- Mainstream Success: The Arc B580 remains one of the few “best value” cards under $300 currently available.