PC Companion, the corporate behind Zotac, Inno3D, and Manli manufacturers, has warned a few potential worsening of entry-level GPU provide within the second half of 2026. The corporate blames this enhance on the continued reminiscence shortages and provide constraints which can be already closely affecting different market segments.
As demand for AI datacentre {hardware} retains pushing DRAM costs upwards, graphics playing cards have seen their manufacturing prices and retail prices jump to unprecedented ranges, pushing beforehand accessible fashions outdoors the attain of many purchasers. Whereas entry-level GPUs have remained considerably shielded from this example, as a result of their decrease reminiscence necessities, this example could change quickly in keeping with PC Companion.
In its newest monetary report, the corporate acknowledged that “the PC market stays extremely difficult, with important provide constraints driving sharp will increase in element prices and, in flip, slowing shopper demand for the PC market.” Consequently, PC Companion expects availability of graphics playing cards to say no additional within the second half of 2026. As if this wasn’t unhealthy sufficient for avid gamers on tight budgets, the agency says that “entry-level VGA playing cards are anticipated to face much more extreme shortages, which may additional drive the common promoting worth (ASP) up.”
Many graphics card makers have already applied a number of worth hikes this yr in an try to regulate for reminiscence prices. As such, that is prone to be only one amongst different future will increase, pushing entry-level GPUs additional away into mid-range territories.
In keeping with this report, these shortages have already impacted PC Companion’s income from its subsidiaries: Zotac, Inno3D, and Manli, whose income dropped by 9.2% year-over-year. Whereas the common promoting worth has elevated by 10.7%, unit gross sales fell by 18.4%, as fewer clients can abdomen these worth hikes.
However that’s not all. PC Companion has additionally indicated that gross sales of different PC-related merchandise and elements decreased by 20.1%. The corporate’s mini PCs are essentially the most impacted, as lead occasions widen, and key element availability contracts.
Contemplating that we’re already deep into the second half of 2026, we could also be witnessing the final reasonably priced graphics playing cards available on the market on this technology. With entry-level GPUs already priced above their official MSRPs, any additional will increase threat placing them outdoors the attain of tight budgets.
