Nvidia is reportedly set to increase the prices of its graphics card bundles, which include GPUs and memory, by an estimated 20-30%. This potential price hike, affecting both GDDR6 and GDDR7 memory, comes as the global memory crisis intensifies.

According to Taiwanese outlet Economic Daily News, distributors in China are experiencing a state of panic and are hesitant to sell components at current pricing. Analyst Harukaze5719 shared figures suggesting that the exclusive Chinese market RTX 5090 D could be priced at $3,843 and the RTX 5080 at $1,845. The latter price point is notably close to the initial MSRP of the RTX 5090 at its launch. This would mark the third price adjustment from Nvidia this year, following earlier suggested increases in May for the RTX 5090.

While Nvidia's price adjustments are for bundles sold to AIB (Add-in Board) partners, it is unlikely that these partners will absorb the additional costs. Partners are expected to pass on the increased expenses to consumers if the market allows for such pricing.

The escalating cost of VRAM is cited as a primary driver of the current graphics card market instability. With the memory crisis showing no signs of abating, acquiring memory chips is becoming increasingly challenging and expensive. This situation is reflected in the record profits reported by memory manufacturers like SK hynix and Samsung, and may contribute to strategies such as AMD's recent launch of a 4GB RX 9050 card.

Industry speculation had previously suggested Nvidia might cease bundling VRAM with GPUs, a move that would primarily benefit Nvidia directly. However, partners would still need to procure their own memory, potentially creating difficulties for budget-oriented graphics cards and smaller manufacturers.

The current market for graphics cards is already experiencing significant price inflation. For example, the best available price for an RTX 5090 is currently listed at $4,200 on Walmart, while the RTX 5080 is available for $1,250 on Amazon. With the memory crisis projected to continue until at least 2029, building or upgrading a gaming PC is likely to become progressively more expensive.