Building a gaming PC during the RAM and GPU crisis: should you buy now or wait until 2027?

167€. That's the price of a basic 32GB DDR5 kit in July 2026. A year ago, the same kit cost 80€. Yes, double. And it's the same for GPUs: the RTX 5070 at 649€ The item you were promised, you can't find it anywhere for less than 730€. If you were planning to build a setup this summer, you probably saw the prices and thought to yourself, "well, I'll wait."

Except that the question is: wait what , exactly ?

On the RAM side, the DRAM cartel — Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron accused of colluding on prices — means that DDR5 will not magically drop. On the GPU side, it's the sécheresse : neither Nvidia nor AMD plan to release new gaming GPUs before the end of 2027 at best. In short, the market is blocked on both sides and no one really knows when things will move.

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This guide, it's not just another article telling you "prices are going up." You already know that. Here, we're going to do something concrete: show you exactly what to buy, when, and at what budget — with three realistic setups for July 2026. And a tool that does the job for you if you're too lazy to calculate everything.

Let's talk cash. Here's what you're really paying right now for key components, compared to 18 months ago.

The kit Corsair Vengeance 2x16 GB DDR5-6000 CL30 — the consumer reference — has gone from ~€75 at the beginning of 2025 to 155-170€ today. 32GB kits (2x16GB) at 6000 MT/s have become a luxury. Kingston FURY Beast, same: from €70 to €140+. And high-frequency kits (7200+)? Forget it, we're at €250 for a 32GB kit. Blame the DRAM cartel that keeps pressure on wafers.

DDR4, on the other hand, has remained relatively stable. A 32GB DDR4-3200 kit still costs around 55-65€. Hence the legitimate question: should we stick with DDR4?

The problem on the GPU side is not really inflation — it's the total lack of renewal. Nvidia has zero new gaming GPU planned for 2026 . All memory bandwidth goes into AI (Blackwell, Rubin). AMD has a little more stock on the RX 9070/9070 XT, but prices remain high compared to the announced MSRPs.

In practice, here are the rates observed in France in July 2026:

• RTX 5070 : 730-800€ (MSRP 649€)
• RTX 5080 : 1150-1300€ (MSRP 1099€)
• RX 9070 XT : 620-680€ (MSRP 599€) — the best available ratio
• RX 9070 : 520-560€ (MSRP 499€)
• RTX 5060 Ti : 479-530€ (MSRP 449€) — 8GB of VRAM, attention
• Arc B580 : 260-290€ — the wildcard budget

Good news: the CPUs and SSDs have not (yet) exploded. The Ryzen 7 9700X is around ~310€, the Ryzen 5 9600X at around €220. On the Intel side, the Core Ultra 7 265K is around €340. 1TB NVMe SSDs are still at €60-80. And 750-850W power supplies certified 80+ Gold remain at €90-120. In short, the crisis mainly affects RAM and GPU. The rest is manageable.

Enough talk about the problems. You want to build a PC, here's what we recommend concretely , taking into account the crisis. Each config has been designed to avoid spending money where it's not necessary.

The idea here is not to ruin yourself while having a machine that can run games from 2026 smoothly in 1080p ultra or 1440p high.

• CPU: Ryzen 5 9600X (~220€) — 6 cores are enough for gaming, no need for more
• GPU: Intel Arc B580 (~270€) — 16GB VRAM, XeSS, the best value for money at the moment
• RAM: 16 GB DDR5-5600 (~75€) — yes, 16 GB and not 32. In 1080p it is more than enough and it cuts the RAM bill in half.
• Motherboard: Basic B650 (~120€)
• SSD: 1 To NVMe (~65€)
• PSU: 650W 80+ Bronze (~70€)
• Case: MSI MAG Forge 100R or equivalent (~60€)

Total: ~880€. The trick is the Arc B580: at 270€ for 16GB of VRAM, it's unbeatable. And 16GB of DDR5 RAM instead of 32GB, you upgrade in 6-12 months when prices calm down.

The sweet spot for those who want comfortable 1440p without any questions.

• CPU: Ryzen 7 9700X (~310€) — 8 cores, quiet multitasking
• GPU: RX 9070 XT (~650€) — 16 GB GDDR6, FSR 4, the best GPU available in terms of performance/price ratio
• RAM: 32 GB DDR5-6000 CL30 (~160€) — yeah it stings, but in 1440p with games like Crimson Desert, 32 GB is necessary
• Motherboard: B650 mid-range (~150€)
• SSD: 1 To NVMe Gen4 (~70€)
• Power supply: 750W 80+ Gold (~100€)
• Case: Be Quiet Pure Base 500DX or similar (~90€)

Total: ~1530€. The RX 9070 XT is the star of this setup. In 1440p ultra, it easily maintains 60-90 FPS on everything released in 2026. And with 16 GB of VRAM, you're set for the coming years — unlike Nvidia cards limited to 12 GB on the 5070.

If you aim for 4K or want heavy ray tracing, you have to take out your checkbook. No choice.

• CPU: Ryzen 9 9900X (~430€) or Core Ultra 7 265K (~340€)
• GPU: RTX 5080 (~1200€) — the only true 4K option with DLSS 4 and Multi Frame Gen
• RAM: 32 GB DDR5-6400 CL32 (~185€)
• Motherboard: X670E or Z890 (~220€)
• SSD: 2 To NVMe Gen4 (~110€)
• PSU: 850W 80+ Gold ATX 3.0 (~130€)
• Case: Fractal Design North or equivalent (~130€)
• CPU cooler: AIO 240mm (~90€)

Total: ~2500€. It hurts, but that's the reality of 4K in 2026. Before dropping 2500 bucks, ask yourself: are you really playing in native 4K? Because config 2 with FSR 4 at 1440p upscaled gives a visually very close result for €1000 less.

We're not going to beat around the bush. Here's the verdict, component by component.

Nvidia is not releasing anything in 2026. The RTX 60 Rubin is expected in 2027 at the earliest, and probably by the end of 2027. AMD has launched the RX 9070, but nothing new on the horizon either. Current stocks are stable, prices will not rise or fall significantly. If you find a RX 9070 XT at 620-650€ or a Arc B580 under 280€ , take. You won't find better for a while.

There, it's different. The DRAM cartel will eventually be caught up - lawsuits are underway, regulations are coming. But it will take time. Clever strategy: buy 16 GB DDR5 now (only one 16GB stick or a 2x8GB kit), and you switch to 32GB when prices calm down. For most games at 1080p, 16GB is enough. At 1440p with big open world games, it's a bit tight but it works.

If you absolutely need 32 GB now (creation, streaming, or very demanding games), look at the 2x16 GB DDR5-5600 kits rather than 6000 MT/s. The difference in gaming performance is 2-3 FPS max, and you save 20-30€.

The prices are normal, the stock is there. The Ryzen 5 9600X is a monster for its price. Gen4 NVMe SSDs have never been so affordable. Buy now, period.

You may be thinking, "DDR4 is cheap, I'll take a DDR4 motherboard and save money." That's true in the short term. A 32GB DDR4-3200 kit for €60 vs €160 for DDR5, it makes you think. But : DDR4 platforms (B550, B660) are end of life. Zero upgrade possible. With DDR5, the AM5 socket will be supported until at least 2027-2028. You pay more today, but your platform lasts longer. It's up to you to decide if you're the type to keep your setup for 3 years or 5+.

If you've read this far and you're thinking, "ok, the setups are nice, but I want something tailored to MY budget and MY games" — that's exactly why we created the builder guided DropReference .

The principle is simple: you answer 4 questions (desired resolution, target FPS, level of games, need for Wi-Fi or not), and the tool gives you a complete configuration with components actually available and at the right prices. No ghost models at a theoretical price - real products that you can buy now.

The big advantage: it takes into account the current shortage. It will not recommend you an unavailable DDR5-7200 kit for over 260€ if your budget is 1200€. It adapts to what really exists on the market right now.

➡ Try the guided builder here — it's free, no account required, and it takes 2 minutes.

You can also go through the complete configurator if you want to choose each part yourself, but the guided mode is ideal if you are a beginner or if you just want a configuration that works without stressing yourself out.

The tight market means that scams and bad deals are multiplying. Some things to watch out for:

• The "reconditioned" mining GPUs — many RTX 3080/3090 and RX 6900 XT are circulating at attractive prices on the second-hand market. Issue: they are often mining cards with worn thermal pads and an uncertain lifespan. Not a good deal unless you know how to refurbish them yourself.
• The DDR5 no-name at a low price — kits from unknown brands appear on Amazon and AliExpress at prices 30-40% below the market. It's tempting, but the returns are catastrophic: poor real timings, XMP incompatibilities, and nonexistent customer service. Stick with Corsair, Kingston, G.Skill, Crucial (if you can still find them).
• I am waiting for the RTX 5060 — the 5060 was released with only 8 GB of VRAM. In 2026, it's already tight for some games at 1440p. If you're hesitating between the 5060 Ti (8 GB) and the Arc B580 (16 GB, cheaper), go for the Intel. 16 GB of VRAM at €270 beats 8 GB at €480.
• Artificial stock shortages — some resellers display "out of stock" to create urgency, then put the product back on sale 10% more expensive. Use price alerts on DropReference to track the real prices.

Probably not before the end of 2026 or the beginning of 2027. The trials against the DRAM cartel are ongoing, but even with sanctions, the supply of DRAM wafers remains tight. A slight relaxation can be expected in Q1 2027 if production increases as planned.

Yes, by being smart. A Ryzen 5 9600X + Arc B580 + 16GB DDR5 + 1TB SSD, it's doable for 750-850€ depending on promotions. You'll play in 1080p ultra without worries, and even in 1440p on less demanding games. This is config 1 from our guide.

Not dead, but at the end of the road. If you are building a budget setup that you plan to keep for 2-3 years maximum, DDR4 remains viable. But if you want an upgradable machine, DDR5 + AM5 is the best long-term investment. The extra cost of RAM is offset by the longevity of the platform.

If you can wait 12 to 18 months , yes. The RTX 60 Rubin should arrive at the end of 2027 with a significant performance leap. But 18 months without gaming PC is long. Our advice: get a decent GPU now (Arc B580 or RX 9070 XT depending on your budget), and resell it in a year when the new GPUs come out.

You go to dropreference.com/en/build-pc/guided , you answer 4 simple questions (resolution, FPS, gaming level, Wi-Fi), and it generates a suitable configuration for you with components available at real market prices. It's free and no registration required.

The market is tough right now, let's not lie to ourselves. But "tough" doesn't mean "impossible". With the right choices - and especially by avoiding the classic pitfalls - you can build a decent gaming setup without mortgaging your house. The keys: an AMD or Intel GPU rather than the premium Nvidia, 16GB of DDR5 RAM that you can upgrade later, and a good old Ryzen CPU that stays at a fair price.

And if you don't feel like bothering with all that, the guided builder is here for that. Good setup, and good luck.