- Graphics card maker Zotac warned consumers about memory shortages in a statement
- Zotac says RAM crisis is ‘extremely serious’
- Warns that graphics card manufacturers may be at risk of being shut down
It seems like every day the PC hardware market is sinking deeper and deeper into trouble due to the RAM crisis, which shows no signs of abating, and unfortunately, the bad news around price increases and memory shortages continues.
This time, it comes directly from a graphics card manufacturer, Zotac Korea, which has warned that RAM shortages may leave third-party board manufacturers on the brink of elimination, TweakTown reports.
In a post translated by user @harukaze5719 on
“Memory supply remains limited and it has been announced that GPU supply volumes will also be reduced.”
It is quite evident how volatile the situation is, as the supply shortage is progressively worsening.
Zotac’s statement also adds credence to the rumor that Nvidia could reduce production of its RTX 5000 GPUs by up to 40%, which would be worrying for consumers looking to purchase a new graphics card, to say the least.
With continued memory shortages and higher costs of VRAM modules, graphics card manufacturers like Zotac, Gigabyte, and Asus will struggle to supply enough cards to consumers, ultimately impacting revenue.
On the consumer side, it means that PC versions will only get more expensive, as GPU prices may rise further and RAM prices are already at unprecedented levels, costing in some cases more than complete pre-built systems. Of course, storage price increases are also occurring.
With big GPU chip makers like AMD and Nvidia turning their attention to the AI market, it’s a very worrying sign for PC gamers. 2026 is not off to a good start.
Analysis: I hope cloud gaming doesn’t become a priority
As the RAM crisis continues, Nvidia’s GeForce Now (GFN) continues to grow as a cloud gaming service, in terms of device compatibility and features to improve image quality and performance.
I tested GeForce Now and I can tell you that it really is an amazing companion for gaming on a handheld, or even a device as simple as an Amazon Fire TV device. However, my main concern is that rising RAM prices will increasingly impact GPU availability, ultimately driving cloud gaming to become the mainstream way to play.
This might seem like a real stretch, given that, frankly, the RAM crisis hasn’t made that much of an impact yet. However, the longer it continues, the closer that possibility gets.
I’m not a fan of gaming without the necessary hardware in front of you, and I see certainly excellent services like GFN as an alternative or temporary option for more casual gamers who can’t afford a gaming PC. A push in the direction of GFN becoming the “main way” to play games effectively worries me, because it is robbing people of the freedom of owning a gaming PC. GFN, for all its merits, has obvious weaknesses, such as what happens when the Internet goes down or fails.
I really hope I’m overthinking this, but I fear that the longer this pricing crisis goes on, the more frustrations will plague PC gamers, and my fears may end up justified.
The best graphics cards for all budgets
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