The effects of an ongoing DRAM shortage continue to multiply, with Nvidia now allegedly winding down GeForce GPU production in the wake of this crisis. According to recent reports, Nvidia plans to curtail supply by as much as 40% in the first half of 2026, with mid-range graphics cards suffering the most.
This rumoured development has emerged from discussions on Board Channels, a Chinese message board frequented by industry insiders. Outlet Benchlife has further corroborated these claims, while sharing that Nvidia’s graphics card partners have reportedly said the company plans to first cut back supply of GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5060 Ti 16GB cards.
While neither source gives specific reasons as to why Nvidia would cut these cards first, I’m confident in guessing that profit margins are the guiding force. The aforementioned SKUs both use 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM, but don’t provide as high a return as the likes of RTX 5080, which uses the same amount and type of memory in a product with wider profit margins.
While this situation has also been true at the time of launch for each new GeForce card, the DRAM shortage has undoubtedly shrunk profits across Nvidia’s entire range, understandably prompting some kind of reassessment. Rival GPU manufacturer AMD has also allegedly announced Radeon RX 9000 price rises in response to this industry-wide problem.
Should these rumours come to pass, which seems likely, then sourcing either of these Ti GPUs will become more difficult in 2026. While not the most popular GeForce RTX 50 series models, any shortage and increase in price will place pressure on other models, particularly Nvidia’s RTX 5070. In turn, I foresee this creating a knock-on effect of higher costs and less stock availability across the board.
If you’re considering a graphics card upgrade, my advice would be to grab whatever model you have in mind sooner rather than later. Even more-affordable options such as GeForce RTX 5050 aren’t safe from the market pressures the DRAM shortage incurs, despite using older GDDR6 chips.
I also don’t expect the long-rumoured GeForce RTX 50 Super series to materialise anytime soon, particularly following these reports. If Nvidia has issues with its current lineup due to DRAM, then it stands to reason the company is in no hurry to compound its problems with larger VRAM capacities.
The optimist in me hopes that Intel may provide some reprieve to the space via Arc B770, while Nvidia busies itself with its AI businesses. Even then, though, that dream seems more impossible as DRAM prices climb higher with each passing day.
In any case, CES 2026 should set the stage for what to expect in the world of hardware in the coming year. Club386 will be in attendance, so make sure you follow our Google News feed for on-the-ground reports.
