AMD says it's working with board partners to fight GPU price hikes, but I'm still worried about RAM shortage ramifications

(Image credit: Phil Hayton)

Graphics card prices are clearly set to be a biggie in 2026, but AMD says it's ready to fight increased Radeon GPU costs. While the PC gaming giant seems to have a battle plan that includes working with manufacturers to manage the economics and supply of DRAM, I am still concerned that RAMageddon will disrupt MSRPs.

In a conversation with Gizmodo during CES 2026, AMD provides reassurance regarding the GPU pricing situation. “We have very strategic partnerships over many, many years with all the DRAM manufacturers to make sure that both the amount of supply that we need and the economics of what we’re able to buy from them are what we can support in our graphics business,” says Ryzen VP Dave McAfee.

This should provide some comfort to anyone looking to grab the best graphics card, at least within the current Radeon range, in 2026, but there is a catch. McAfee alludes to the fact that he can't predict the future before outlining some of the challenges ahead. "Without the memory at the right price, building graphics cards with our add-in-board partners that hit the right price and market, that’s tough math to put together,” confesses the VP in a line that emphasises the struggles ahead.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 Asus Prime graphics card standing upright in front of gaming monitor on woodgrain desk. — (Image credit: Phil Hayton)

Yes, there is a scenario where the RAM situation gets so out of control that maintaining MSRPs will be impossible. We've certainly been in a situation like this before, at least from a consumer perspective, with the demands of crypto mining previously destroying recommended pricing for custom GPUs. This time, it's the ravenous AI industry causing a seismic issue for anyone simply looking to build the best gaming PC possible, but AMD still seems to understand the assignment.

McAfee provides extra reassurance by stating, "managing that memory ecosystem very closely is absolutely something that is a core part of what we do.” That might sound like a throwaway comment, but it absolutely highlights that AMD is actively working out how to make the new landscape work.

Whether Nvidia makes that same promise remains to be seen, but having wrestled with the GPU scene for years, I feel like it'll be largely down to board partners to decide custom pricing. We're already encountering strange situations where the green team seems to be permanently cutting its supply to AICs by 15-20%, a tidbit shared by leaker MEGAsizeGPU. The insider also says there will be "no new products in 2026," so RTX 50 Super cards are probably a no-go this year.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 graphics card lying on woodgrain desk at an angle. — (Image credit: Phil Hayton)

This is all the perfect storm for reduced graphics card stocks at retailers that may, in turn, result in price hikes. Using Amazon as an example, there aren't too many options on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 front, and the cheapest model comes in at $1,300. The GeForce RTX 5070 Ti finds itself in a similar situation, but is admittedly a little more attainable at $885.99. AMD availability is arguably more upsetting since the Radeon RX 9070, which should cost $549, will set you back $669.99, so I'm hoping the red team's plan actually works.

Staying optimistic as a PC player in 2026 is going to be tough, but it is nice to see AMD directly comment on the situation. McAfee also touched on how the company is cautiously exploring multi-frame generation features on par with Nvidia's DLSS, citing player feedback suggests the technique has "gone too far in some cases." That is likely a reference to the "fake frames" debate going on in the scene, so it sounds like the GPU maker is listening to conversations surrounding AI use.

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Phil is the Hardware Editor at GamesRadar+ who specializes in retro console setups, choosing the latest gaming handhelds, and navigating the choppy seas of using modern-day PC hardware. In the past, they have covered everything from retro gaming history to the latest gaming news, in-depth features, and tech advice for publications like TechRadar, The Daily Star, the BBC, PCGamesN, and Den of Geek. In their spare time, they pour hours into fixing old consoles, modding Game Boys, exploring ways to get the most out of the Steam Deck, and blasting old CRT TV visuals into their eye sockets.

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