Nvidia 5090 GPUs Are Getting Way More Expensive

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If you’re planning to build or upgrade your computer, be prepared for higher costs. Prices for Nvidia’s RTX 5090 graphics cards have jumped significantly. While the RTX 50-series cards were already expensive, they’re becoming even more so due to a worldwide shortage of RAM. This is making PC gaming more costly, and unfortunately, prices aren’t expected to drop anytime soon.

Nvidia introduced its 50-series graphics cards last year, and as you’d expect from the most powerful consumer model, the top-end card – the RTX 5090 – is very expensive. It has a suggested price of $1,999, which is about the same cost as two PlayStation 5 consoles. While pricey, it does offer a large 32GB of the newest DDR7 VRAM. However, there’s now a worldwide shortage of this memory, which is causing prices to rise even further.

Retailers are Listing RTX 5090 GPUs for Over $3,000

VideoCardz has noticed that the least expensive Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards currently available from major retailers are around $2,500 – about 25% higher than the suggested retail price. However, many of these cheaper cards are either sold out or only available for in-person pickup. Most cards available for shipping now start around $3,000, with some priced closer to $4,000. This price increase follows reports that Nvidia might reduce production of its 50-series GPUs due to limited DDR7 memory. While Nvidia hasn’t confirmed these production cuts, concerns about a potential RAM shortage are already causing retailers to raise prices proactively.

Image via Nvidia

Nvidia isn’t alone in raising prices due to the current shortage of RAM. The price increases began in late 2025 when the cost of RAM for consumers tripled. This happened because SK Hynix and Samsung decided to focus more on producing memory for AI data centers. The situation got worse when Micron stopped making RAM for consumers altogether. With less supply available, prices naturally went up for manufacturers. Now, companies like Nvidia, which buy components like RAM from other companies instead of making them themselves, are struggling with limited supply and increased production costs, which they are passing on to customers.

Prices have quickly increased, and unfortunately, the market isn’t expected to stabilize anytime soon. Increased demand for GPUs and other PC parts is making the limited supply even worse. Manufacturers are struggling to keep up, as building the facilities needed to produce more RAM takes significant time and investment. Micron predicts these issues will cause a RAM shortage lasting beyond 2026, and growing demand from artificial intelligence could extend that even further. While the future is uncertain, things aren’t looking promising for PC gamers right now.

Image via Nvidia

The current shortage of RAM could impact more than just PC gamers. There’s speculation that Sony and Xbox might postpone the release of their new consoles to keep the price down, rather than charging more to cover increased production costs. While neither company, nor Nvidia, has confirmed these rumors, the unstable market means anything is possible. Right now, building or upgrading a PC is expensive, and that likely won’t change soon.

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2026-01-02 21:06