Anger is brewing among video game and PC enthusiasts. Nvidia and AMD graphics cards, already far from accessible, could soon become unaffordable. According to revelations from the South Korean press, the two giants are considering a spectacular price increase from January, mainly due to the pressure exerted by artificial intelligence on the memory market.
The information, relayed by the Newsis agency, has the effect of a cold shower. “Nvidia and AMD are expected to significantly increase the prices of their graphics processing units (GPUs) starting next January. The high cost of memory is cited as a key factor in these price increases.” At the origin of this surge: a growing demand from players in the AI sector, who are now monopolizing RAM and essential components to power their data centers.
GPUs, collateral victims of the rush to AI
GPUs, initially designed for graphics rendering of video games, have become a crucial element in the development of artificial intelligence. Their parallel processing capability makes them ideal for training complex models. Result: large technology companies are massively purchasing RAM and storage, making supply scarce for the general public. And this imbalance is reflected today in the price of graphics cards.
Nvidia’s high-end RTX 5090 card could see its price double, going from $2,000 to $5,000 according to Newsis. AMD’s new RX 9000 series would also be affected, but to a lesser extent. For consumers, this trend represents a real barrier to entry into the world of PC gaming.
The gaming community expresses its despair
On Reddit, in the GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit, players are not taking it easy. Some people wonder about the very point of marketing these products: “What’s the point of putting them in stores at this stage?” Another coward: “Are $2,000 to $5,000 crazy?”
Other Internet users suspect a well-established communication strategy to accustom people to higher prices: “I wonder if this is a strategic escape. The idea is to anchor people to an exorbitant price so that the new real price seems less excessive. It was said that this card would cost $5,000, but it only went up to $3,499. What a bargain!”
Should you buy your PC components now?
In the absence of official confirmation from Nvidia or AMD, this is speculation for the moment. But the most pessimistic are already preparing for the worst. “I hope it’s a fucking troll or something… It’s incredible.”, confided one user. Another recommends taking action immediately: “That was fun guys, but if you don’t get your PC components now, like TODAY, you’re pretty much out of the PC market.”
The feeling shared in the community is clear: “I really hate that my favorite pastime, video games, has become a luxury.” As AI continues to redraw the rules of the technological game, gamers risk paying the price.