It’s hard work keeping up with the latest surges in PC component prices. Graphics cards have proven hugely problematic in recent years, and it is memory fuelling the fires in 2026. Shortages stemming from the AI boom are causing prices to rise so dramatically that we now live in a world where a 64GB DDR5 memory kit can fetch more than a potent GeForce RTX 5070 Ti.
The thought came to mind as the 64GB (2x32GB) kit of Kingston Fury Renegade DDR5-6400 memory in our upcoming test platforms is currently retailing for a whopping £799. In this bizarre reality, graphics card prices are also rising, but at a more gradual pace, making a bunch of cards appear relatively affordable.
GeForce RTX 5070 Ti 16GB
Nvidia’s Multi Frame Generation finally arrives in the midrange, offering cheaper GPUs access to the wonderous upscaling tech. Read our review.
A case in point is the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, which with a bit of luck can be found for under £750/$820 if you shop around. To be clear, these are not best-ever deals for this particular GPU, but we’re seeing wild fluctuations on a near daily basis, and you don’t need a crystal ball to tell you that prices are only going one way – up!
The same can be said for other models further down than the graphics stack. At the time of writing, GeForce RTX 5070 (non-Ti) prices are also steadily increasing, with only one card at Amazon UK remaining below the £500 mark, and another model under $550 at Amazon US.
GeForce RTX 5070 12GB
Blackwell comes with a wealth of improvements in the form of 4th Gen RT Cores, 5th Gen Tensor Cores, and bespoke features such as DLSS 4’s Multi Frame Generation. Read our review.
It’s a similar story on the Radeon side of the fence. Just before Christmas I warned that Radeon RX 9070 XT wouldn’t last long at £559, and the bulk of partner cards have already crept up to £599 just a couple of weeks later.
Sorry to say, PC gamers, but there is plenty of turbulence on the horizon. Nvidia’s Super refresh is reportedly on hold, RTX 6000 Series is a ways off, and the RAM shortage isn’t going away anytime soon.
Point is, anyone in need of a graphics card upgrade in 2026 needs to act fast and make the best of torrid conditions by grabbing an upgrade before prices get even more out of hand. For the foreseeable future, this is as good as it gets.
