Memory shortages have now begun to impact the GPU segment, as, apart from the anticipated price hike, retailers are reportedly experiencing rapid declines in stock availability.
Japanese Retailer Is Now Restricting GPU Purchases To Ensure that Existing Inventory is Distributed Equally
For the PC industry, things are about to become a lot more tense in Q1 2026, as several reports indicate that major GPU manufacturers are planning to increase product pricing to sustain market demand. The ongoing memory shortages have forced firms like NVIDIA and AMD to not only hike prices across their consumer offerings but also reduce retail supply, which, in the long term, will result in significantly higher prices. According to a report by Japan's ITMedia, a domestic PC retailer has discussed the GPU supply situation, stating that high memory prices have necessitated a "restriction" on GPU purchases.
Memory prices continue to rise sharply. However, we have secured a certain amount of stock, so for now we think we can avoid situations where customers come all the way here only to find they can't assemble a complete machine.
It's becoming very difficult to procure cards with high-capacity models. We still have some in stock at the moment, but we're not sure when the next one will arrive.
- ITMedia (Automated translation)
Local retailers aren't optimistic about the supply situation improving anytime soon, as they believe that inventory buildouts sustain current GPU pricing over the past few quarters, but the price hikes will start to become noticeable once stores run out of supply and purchase newer stock at the revised prices by manufacturers. It is also claimed that GPUs with higher VRAM configurations, such as 16 GB models, will become increasingly challenging to restock, as general-purpose DRAM supply lines are massively bottlenecked, putting higher-spec GPUs at a greater supply risk.
By now, consumer memory and GPUs are expected to witness significant price hikes, which will have a domino effect, forcing PC manufacturers like Lenovo and others to raise their product prices as well. Ultimately, gamers are in for a challenging time moving into 2026, as the AI frenzy has created demand that the DRAM industry is struggling to cope with.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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