Why GPU prices are rising — and how students can cope

Memory supply pressure tied to AI data centers is rippling into consumer PC parts, affecting students buying laptops or upgrading desktops for gaming, design or AI coursework. 

By Syed Huzaifa Bin Afzal

Graphics cards (GPUs) are getting more expensive in 2026 driven by the booming demand for artificial intelligence hardware, affecting student’s budgeting for new devices. 

The pressure is building from the supply chain up. Reuters reported on Jan. 5 that memory chipmakers are seeing a global supply crunch as demand for AI infrastructure accelerates, with manufacturers prioritizing high-bandwidth memory (HBM) at the expense of other memory products. That matters for students because consumer GPUs depend heavily on video memory, and higher memory costs can translate into higher prices. 

A separate Reuters report on Oct. 20, 2025, described how the AI boom has tightened supplies and increased prices for less trendy memory types used in everyday electronics, including computers. When memory becomes more expensive, GPUs and PC builds can follow. 

Those supply pressures are now showing up in pricing decisions closer to the consumer market. Tom’s Hardware reported in December that AMD increased pricing to its add-in board (AIB) partners for its Radeon RX 9000-series using a formula that adds cost based on video random access memory (VRAM) capacity. The report also stated that another increase was expected in January 2026.  

Design students use GPU acceleration for video editing and 3D work while engineering and science students run simulations and visualization and computer science students training machine-learning models often need GPU access for coursework. When consumer GPU prices rise, students may delay upgrades, rely more on lab computers or shift to cloud services. 

At the industry level, analysts describe a longer cycle. Reuters noted that some analysts expect the current memory upswing to extend through 2027, framing it as a super cycle tied to AI infrastructure buildout. GPU pricing may stay volatile longer than students hoped after the post-pandemic normalization of PC part availability if the extension happens. 

Micron, one of the biggest memory suppliers, warned that the crunch may not ease quickly. The Verge reported that Micron expects ongoing shortages in dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) and flash memory (NAND) extending beyond 2026 because AI data centers are increasing in capacity. Manufacturers are also prioritizing HBM production, a shift that can keep everyday PC parts, including the memory inside GPUs, expensive for longer. 

There is also a top-down effect; when higher-end GPUs become expensive or harder to find, buyers may chase midrange options, increasing those prices too. For students shopping for GPUs, they may still feel the squeeze. 

The issue is less about finding the perfect GPU for UWT students, and more about planning around volatility. If AI-driven memory demand keeps supply tight and manufacturers pass costs down the chain, discounts may become shorter, rarer and more seasonal. 

For students at UWT, the uncertainty means comparing the total costs, including laptop vs. desktop tradeoffs, leaning on campus labs when possible and buying only when a class or workload requires it. Given 2026 pricing uncertainty, waiting for automatic price drops are no longer guaranteed.