NVIDIA’s latest GPU price surge has gamers and AI enthusiasts clutching their wallets in horror. The RTX 5090 now commands a jaw-dropping $3,777 while even the 4090 sells for $2,770. Blame falls on U.S. manufacturing shifts, tariffs, and “members-only” pricing schemes that have transformed MSRPs into mere suggestions. Budget cards aren’t spared either, with the RTX 5070 Ti hitting $900. The days of reasonably priced graphics cards seem like ancient history now.
Nearly every NVIDIA GPU has seen substantial price increases in recent months, with some models now selling for as much as double their intended retail prices. The company’s recent 10-15% price hike announcement might seem innocent enough on paper, but the real-world impact has been far more severe for anyone hunting for graphics cards.
Take the RTX 5090, NVIDIA’s latest flagship beast. Originally expected to maintain the premium-but-attainable pricing of previous generations, it’s now commanding a wallet-crushing $3,777 at retailers. Compare that to the already expensive RTX 4090 at $2,770, and you’re looking at a generational price jump that would make even Apple blush.
What’s behind this silicon highway robbery? For starters, NVIDIA shifted Blackwell GPU production to TSMC’s U.S. plants, dramatically increasing manufacturing costs. Add a hefty 10% tariff on imported GPUs, and suddenly those MSRPs start looking more like suggestions than rules.
Even budget-conscious shoppers aren’t safe. The supposedly “affordable” 50-series cards have seen smaller but still significant increases, while anything above the RTX 5070 faces at least a 20% markup above launch prices. Want that shiny new 5070 Ti? That’ll be $900, please.
The situation gets even worse in the AI GPU market. H200 and B200 chips have jumped 15% almost overnight as server vendors respond to NVIDIA’s price hikes. Meanwhile, CEO Jensen Huang is scrambling to reduce tariff effects while maintaining the company’s legendary profit margins.
AI hardware costs are skyrocketing as NVIDIA hikes prices while Jensen plays tariff limbo to protect those juicy profit margins.
For gamers who’ve waited patiently through crypto mining madness and pandemic shortages, this new price reality feels like a particularly cruel joke. Just when the market was stabilizing, NVIDIA decided your wallet needed another workout.
Channel partners and retailers aren’t helping either, with “members-only” pricing schemes that sometimes exceed 20% above MSRP. The RTX 5080’s current best price sits at $1,359, over $350 above its lowest-ever price of $999. AMD’s RX 9070 XT is experiencing similar premium issues with prices 42% above MSRP. It seems the days of reasonably priced graphics cards may be as outdated as floppy disks – and about as likely to make a comeback.
