TECH NEWS – 2026 has only just begun, but PC gamers may already be staring down a nightmare year as hardware pricing spirals. Nvidia’s Blackwell flagship, the RTX 5090, is now listed on Newegg at $3,695, and reports suggest another $1,300 increase could be coming soon. Previous reporting has also pointed toward the card potentially reaching $5,000 during 2026.

With the new year underway, the warning signs for PC hardware pricing are hard to miss. New components are expected to reach absurd levels, and the market appears to be moving in that direction already.

Nvidia’s Blackwell flagship GPU, the RTX 5090, has climbed well beyond its MSRP. It is currently listed on Newegg at $3,695, and the listing is officially attributed to Nvidia.

Why it matters: Paying $3,695 for a single GPU is outrageous even for the most powerful consumer card – and this may only be the start of what 2026 has in store.

Nvidia Reportedly Set to Cut RTX 50-Series Supply by 50%, Further Fueling Inflation

The RTX 5090 launched last year at $2,000, which puts the current listing $1,695 above its original price. Because this listing is officially tied to Nvidia, it is difficult to dismiss it as a one-off reseller situation.

On Nvidia’s official website, the RTX 5090 starts at $2,500 and goes up to $3,719 for the liquid-cooled version. As absurd as it sounds, this may be as low as prices get for a while if another hike lands soon.

With memory prices rising, AMD is expected to announce revised GPU pricing this month, while Nvidia could follow next month. Prior reporting suggests this could push the RTX 5090 toward $5,000 in 2026.

If manufacturing costs increase by 80%, major players like AMD, Nvidia, and Intel may have little choice but to raise prices when contracts with chipmakers are renewed.

Nvidia Tells AIB Partners to Source VRAM Themselves

The RTX 5090 does not deliver a dramatic enough generational leap to justify pricing at this level, yet consumer GPUs are increasingly affected by AI-driven demand.

Nvidia is said to be monitoring the situation closely and may still consider releasing a Super variant, despite earlier speculation that such plans were shelved.

Consoles are facing similar pressure, with Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo hardware expected to cost 10–15% more this year, while new hardware releases may also be delayed.

Source: tech4gamers