Nvidia is being forced to revise its plans for supplying RTX 50 series graphics cards in 2026. The main reason is the sharp increase in prices for memory chips, which makes mass production of models with large amounts of VRAM unprofitable. This was reported by Videocardz, citing sources in supply chains.

Lower priority for 16 GB models

In its updated strategy, Nvidia is reducing production volumes of graphics cards with increased memory capacity. This primarily affects the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and RTX 5070 Ti, whose manufacturing will be limited. The main focus is shifting to configurations with 8 GB of memory, namely the GeForce RTX 5060 8GB and RTX 5060 Ti 8GB.

According to sources, the largest production volumes in 2026 will fall on the base RTX 5060. This decision reflects current market realities: in Europe and Japan, 16 GB models are already available only in limited quantities, while higher-end cards such as the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 remain in short supply.

These adjustments began in the second half of 2025 and have now been fully incorporated into plans for the coming year.

Why memory has become a problem

The rise in prices for DRAM and HBM, which is high-bandwidth memory, is linked to manufacturers shifting their capacity toward the needs of major AI companies. Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron are reducing production of consumer memory in favor of server solutions, creating shortages and driving prices higher. For graphics cards with 16 GB of memory or more, this significantly increases production costs and, as a result, reduces margins for both Nvidia and its partners.

Consequences for the market

Limiting production of higher-end models may lead to further increases in retail prices in the second half of 2026. This is especially relevant for gamers and content creators who rely on large amounts of VRAM for 4K gaming, AI workloads, and rendering.

At the same time, wider availability of the RTX 5060 8GB could make the mid-range segment more attractive, provided that the performance of the new chips allows modern games to run comfortably even with 8 GB of memory.

In brief

Nvidia is cutting production of the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB and RTX 5070 Ti due to rising memory prices and is shifting its focus to 8 GB models. The main production volume in 2026 will go to the GeForce RTX 5060. This reflects shortages and higher costs of DRAM and HBM caused by demand from the AI industry. The move could push prices of higher-end cards even higher while making mass-market models more accessible.