GPU Prices Have Stopped Climbing, But the Market Is Still Broken

[Scorpus]

GPU prices have stopped getting worse, but they have not gotten much better either. Demand has fallen, prices remain elevated, and most graphics cards still sell well above MSRP worldwide.

Read the full article here.

GPU Prices Have Stopped Climbing, But the Market Is Still Broken

 

[ScottSoapbox]

This tracks with what I’ve seen. Outside of the flagships, GPU prices are annoying but nowhere near the utterly ridiculous RAM/SSD prices.

 

[dansharp2014]

It's interesting that you included Feb 2026 then calculated between Feb 2026 and April 2026. Since I was looking for the true increase the real change is between Feb 2025 and Apr 2026. Then the true inflated price is well above the percentages listed.

 

[yRaz]

I think the people who were willing to overpay have mostly already bought cards. There are scalpers and scalpees. We're out of scalpees and only the reasonable consumers are left. I've also seen reports that corporate buyers of AI chips have slowed down and that nVidia is sitting on a hefty amount of unsold inventory. We are getting toward the end of Blackwell and I can't imagine data centers wanting to buy obsolete GPUs while they haven't been able to turn on all of their current ones.

 

[Endymio]

I think the people who were willing to overpay have mostly already bought cards. There are scalpers and scalpees. We're out of scalpees and only the reasonable consumers are left. I've also seen reports that corporate buyers of AI chips have slowed down and that nVidia is sitting on a hefty amount of unsold inventory...

The only people who believe that "overpaying" exists are those that don't understand what the "S" in MSRP denotes. The law of supply and demand always operates: when demand outstrips supply, prices will escalate.

As for NVidia "setting on hefty amounts of unsold inventory", I give you this story from February of this year. I doubt the situation has altered much since then:

GeForce RTX 5090 and 5080 Founders Edition GPUs sell out in minutes

"...GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition cards with MSRP prices sold out in just eight minutes when stock was briefly available..."

 

[R00sT3R]

The only people who believe that "overpaying" exists are those that don't understand what the "S" in MSRP denotes. The law of supply and demand always operates: when demand outstrips supply, prices will escalate.

As for NVidia "setting on hefty amounts of unsold inventory", I give you this story from February of this year. I doubt the situation has altered much since then:

GeForce RTX 5090 and 5080 Founders Edition GPUs sell out in minutes

"...GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition cards with MSRP prices sold out in just eight minutes when stock was briefly available..."

Founders Edition cards still attract the bots because there is still margin for profit when trying to scalp them, especially the 5090 where you can put a minimum $500 markup on them.

Regular AIB cards at the high end are in plentiful supply and not selling that well.

 

[Endymio]

Regular AIB cards at the high end are in plentiful supply and not selling that well.

The data proves otherwise. A price above MSRP indicates demand outstrips supply:

"As of late April 2026, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Add-in Board (AIB) inventory has begun to stabilize, with stock now appearing at major retailers like Micro Center and online, although prices remain significantly above the initial $2,000 launch MSRP, landing in the $3,000–$3,700 range...."

 

[R00sT3R]

The data proves otherwise. A price above MSRP indicates demand outstrips supply:

"As of late April 2026, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Add-in Board (AIB) inventory has begun to stabilize, with stock now appearing at major retailers like Micro Center and online, although prices remain significantly above the initial $2,000 launch MSRP, landing in the $3,000–$3,700 range...."

There is a world outside the US bubble...

 

[JamesBlond]

Not Broken, its manipulated all the time by the Big 5

 

[Endymio]

There is a world outside the US bubble...

As the prices in this lead story demonstrate, the same is true throughout Europe, Australia, and India. If you're referring to your secret Antarctic supply route, then I have no data.

 

[Hecate91]

The market has been broken since covid and crypto, prices only went up to never come back down, midrange cards are priced how higher end tiers were.

Cards such as the 5070Ti, 5080, and 5090 aren't selling as well since prices have been inflated due to the artificial memory shortage.

 

[Endymio]

... prices only went up to never come back down, midrange cards are priced how higher end tiers were.

You realize how inflation works, right? It's a permanent increase in prices.

 

[Hecate91]

I am well aware of greedflation and companies hiking prices simply because they can, and now we're seeing it with memory and storage.
Also no one is hiding the market manipulation anymore, prices skyrocketing despite no actual shortage, Nvidia cutting supply, companies refusing warranties, bait and switch pricing schemes, the hardware market is broken and not many are willing to pay the massively inflated prices now.

 

[Branch]

"There are no signs of graphics card prices returning to MSRP levels any time soon, especially for models with higher amounts of VRAM." -Tim

Define... 'soon'.
I can wait 20 years. No problem.

 

[Loadedaxe]

"There are no signs of graphics card prices returning to MSRP levels any time soon, especially for models with higher amounts of VRAM." -Tim

Define... 'soon'.
I can wait 20 years. No problem.

This made me smile.
I gave up on building PCs the last few years and just simplified everything....M4 Mac Mini for most stuff, Minisforum UM870 for the Windows only apps. Tossed in a KVM switch and called it a day.

At this point I’ll probably never build another Windows PC… but hey, I’m getting older...these might outlast me anyway

 

[Rapob]

There is a world outside the US bubble...

Except, there is no bubble. Demand is huge and is not vanishing anytime soon. It won't vanish at all actually, demand might drop slightly from time to time, but demand will stay high for chips and hardware pretty much forever from here. Just wait and see.

Tech is the future and if you can't fathom this, while using a tech forum, I don't know what to tell you. Everything that will make humanity better, smarter and more advanced, requires tech/chips and energy/power. We are held back by power and chip production for now.

The tech companies will only get more and more powerful from here. Chip demand is not even peaking yet (held back by production capacity) and you have seen nothing yet. No bubble will burst. AI makes companies money. They will keep investing in it.

In 5-10 years, there will be alot more chip fabs and they will all be blasting chips out at full capacity. We lack computing power. We lack power to run our massive server parks that just gets bigger and bigger.

You have seen nothing yet if you think AI is a bubble that is about to burst. We did not even truly begin yet. Very early days of AI.

I have made milllions upon millions on Crypto/AI/Tech/Energy in the last 5-10 years. I saw where the (western) world was going and boy I was right. Stopped working now due to no need - I am set for life after going all in on both crypto and AI.

See the light. Make dime. Then food and hardware will be cheap.
Refuse reality. Stay in denial. Then food and hardware will be more and more expensive from here. People are missing out like crazy. This is our generations dob com, just 10 times more crazy and without the bubble part.

Tons of people thank me all the time, friends and family, for getting them to buy tech stocks and crypto 5-10 years ago. Most of my friends and familiy is set for life too, or I can support them with ease.

I invested more than one million USD in crypto and tech 5-10 years ago. All the money I had and all the money from selling my house at the time. Huge risk yeah, a few sleepless nights but nothing too crazy after the first year I was looking at huge gains already - but I knew this was going to peak eventually and now I am looking at unfathomable gains. Better than I would ever have dreamed about.

NOT BRAGGING just telling you, to MAYBE leave the DENIAL state! Train has not fully left the station yet. I am still making like 8-10 times my old salary yearly by NOT WORKING. Higher prices? Inflation? Don't really care. Everything is cheap and feels free.

Too many people say BUBBLE THIS, BUBBLE THAT while missing out on huge gains. So I will tell you one more time; THERE IS NO BUBBLE.

 

[R00sT3R]

Except, there is no bubble. Demand is huge and is not vanishing anytime soon. It won't vanish at all actually, demand might drop slightly from time to time, but demand will stay high for chips and hardware pretty much forever from here. Just wait and see.

Tech is the future and if you can't fathom this, while using a tech forum, I don't know what to tell you. Everything that will make humanity better, smarter and more advanced, requires tech/chips and energy/power. We are held back by power and chip production for now.

The tech companies will only get more and more powerful from here. Chip demand is not even peaking yet (held back by production capacity) and you have seen nothing yet. No bubble will burst. AI makes companies money. They will keep investing in it.

In 5-10 years, there will be alot more chip fabs and they will all be blasting chips out at full capacity. We lack computing power. We lack power to run our massive server parks that just gets bigger and bigger.

You have seen nothing yet if you think AI is a bubble that is about to burst. We did not even truly begin yet. Very early days of AI.

I have made milllions upon millions on Crypto/AI/Tech/Energy in the last 5-10 years. I saw where the (western) world was going and boy I was right. Stopped working now due to no need - I am set for life after going all in on both crypto and AI.

See the light. Make dime. Then food and hardware will be cheap.
Refuse reality. Stay in denial. Then food and hardware will be more and more expensive from here. People are missing out like crazy. This is our generations dob com, just 10 times more crazy and without the bubble part.

Tons of people thank me all the time, friends and family, for getting them to buy tech stocks and crypto 5-10 years ago. Most of my friends and familiy is set for life too, or I can support them with ease.

I invested more than one million USD in crypto and tech 5-10 years ago. All the money I had and all the money from selling my house at the time. Huge risk yeah, a few sleepless nights but nothing too crazy after the first year I was looking at huge gains already - but I knew this was going to peak eventually and now I am looking at unfathomable gains. Better than I would ever have dreamed about.

NOT BRAGGING just telling you, to MAYBE leave the DENIAL state! Train has not fully left the station yet. I am still making like 8-10 times my old salary yearly by NOT WORKING. Higher prices? Inflation? Don't really care. Everything is cheap and feels free.

Too many people say BUBBLE THIS, BUBBLE THAT while missing out on huge gains. So I will tell you one more time; THERE IS NO BUBBLE.

This is why the US is little more than a 'Hunger Games' society with 3rd World levels of poverty, homelessness and debt.

..revolting place

 

[Rapob]

This is why the US is little more than a 'Hunger Games' society with 3rd World levels of poverty, homelessness and debt.

..revolting place

I don't live in the US but US is the driving force behind my earnings for sure. Been there 10+ times tho. Revolting? Nah, great country overall. Was offered a job there too, said no, I like Europe.

Why would I not make dime when I can easily do it? Every man is the architect of his own fortune. This is how US works really. I like that idea. Lazy and stupid people, left with little options. Smart and willingly people, all doors are open. This is survival of the fittest in a nutshell.

So you think poor people are generally happier in africa and asia? Nah you just don't see them. I have been in 100+ countries and in 3rd world countries you see tons of people living on the streets or in restrooms. In India I saw a dude living and sleeping in the restroom, his job was to keep it clean. That is true 3rd world shite. Literally.

I can assure you that in US and Europe, alot more people are happy. Most people don't starve and have roof over their heads. 100% have that, if they want actually.

 

[rE3ee]

I'm in Canada , I don't buy my gear here , got a buyer in HK , sends gear as refurbs in OEM packaging ,I even get models not distributed here , Frankenstein builds , damn I love these

 

[rmcrys]

You realize how inflation works, right? It's a permanent increase in prices.

And why prices keep increasing if tech is making everything easier and faster to produce? If energy is far more efficiently produced? If most fishing and animal meat is also more efficiently produced? If the transportation is also far faster and more efficient? Fast answer: those steering the world´s economy make prices rise far faster than wages.

 

[Endymio]

And why prices keep increasing if tech is making everything easier and faster to produce? If energy is far more efficiently produced

A very valid question. However, the answer is plain: when the first company or two in an industry adopts a new cost-saving innovation, it results in windfall profits not lower prices ... until all their competitors adopt the same, and price competition begins.

But we're seeing massive price reductions in a few targeted fields already: the graphic design industry, for one ... and have you checked the price on professional translation services recently? The rest of the world will follow suit. It took about 10 years for the effects of the PC revolution to fully show up; this will take time too.

In fact, I would argue we've already seen AI help to keep prices in check. Post-Covid, the US expanded its M2 money supply by some 500%, which should have resulted in nearly as much total cumulative inflation. Yet we only saw about 35% instead. Was that due to additional productivity due to AI?

 

[disinfect8280]

And why prices keep increasing if tech is making everything easier and faster to produce? If energy is far more efficiently produced

Because the Government and Central Banking System will never allow it. Trump even said as much this year. The Government will never cut spending and the Central Banking (Federal Reserve) will never reduce the money supply. Once you understand why, you will see why it will never happen. Look at the YoY monthly CPI numbers over the last 50 years. It was only negative a couple months in 50yrs.

 

[rmcrys]

I don't live in the US but US is the driving force behind my earnings for sure. Been there 10+ times tho. Revolting? Nah, great country overall. Was offered a job there too, said no, I like Europe.

Why would I not make dime when I can easily do it? Every man is the architect of his own fortune. This is how US works really. I like that idea. Lazy and stupid people, left with little options. Smart and willingly people, all doors are open. This is survival of the fittest in a nutshell.

So you think poor people are generally happier in africa and asia? Nah you just don't see them. I have been in 100+ countries and in 3rd world countries you see tons of people living on the streets or in restrooms. In India I saw a dude living and sleeping in the restroom, his job was to keep it clean. That is true 3rd world shite. Literally.

I can assure you that in US and Europe, alot more people are happy. Most people don't starve and have roof over their heads. 100% have that, if they want actually.

"Every man is the architect of his own fortune. This is how US works really"

Not really: the US works making their companies & army big and subduing most other economies. With that, it increases the world´s economy and energy dependency on the US. If you do X in a US company you have a chance; if you try do to X in a European company, you are mostly out of luck. Unfortunately most european politicians have stocks and are totally paid by US companies, so they do not make laws or help european companies, as they should. They may help some because they also have stocks or big friends, other than that...

 

[Endymio]

Not really: the US works making their companies & army big....

Big companies are required for big ventures. No mom and pop outfit is going to build reusable space rockets or multi-trillion parameter AI models, nor will they develop a cure for cancer. As for "big armies", the first thing all Europe did when it felt threatened by Russia was scream for US military aid.

If you do X in a US company you have a chance; if you try do to X in a European company, you are mostly out of luck.

Which explains why smart entrepreneurs with good ideas leave Europe to start their business in the US ... and why the US economy has, in the last 20 years, grown at several times the rate of the EU.

Unfortunately most european politicians do not make laws or help european companies, as they should. ..

On the contrary, the EU has repeatedly used lawfare to extract tens of billions of dollars from successful American firms, to try to give their flailing European competitors an advantage. But it doesn't work. You can put lipstick on a socialist pig, but it's still going to wallow in the mire.

 

[Megalomaniac]

A 5090 at $3500+ is disgusting.

So glad that My cousins and I got our computer parts before the prices exploded after Black Friday last year.

Nvidia could put a stop to this but they have no interest in doing so. $5,000,000,000,000 and counting!