GPU prices on the rise in July 2026: should you buy now or wait?

You have surely seen the big headlines: "the GPUs increase" , "buy quickly before the disaster" . And yes, prices are changing. On the RX 9060 XT, some models show +14 to +17% compared to their historical minimum. It stings.

Except that reality is not a uniform blackboard. When we look at the data — the real ones, not just the price of the day — some cards are still below their average price . Others have indeed climbed. And the reasons behind are probably not going to disappear anytime soon.

We will dissect all of this with concrete numbers, not just hot air.

Data collected on DropReference Stock GPU — July 2026. Complete price histories are available on each product sheet.

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655€ for a Gigabyte RX 9070 XT Gaming OC in July 2026. That's +3.1% compared to the floor of 635€ reached a few weeks ago. +3%. Three.

But the thing that no one mentions in the alarmist articles: this same card displays an average price of 726€ over the past few months. In other words, at 655€, you're still €71 below average Almost 10% less than what people generally paid.

Same observation with the Sapphire PULSE at €679: its average price is around €720. You're below. The historical minimum at €629, it was a window — not the norm.

As a reminder, the AMD MSRP for the RX 9070 XT is $599 in the US, which is approximately €649 in Europe with VAT. At €655, the Gigabyte OC is literally €6 away from the MSRP of the base version. It's not a disaster, it's actually a good deal for a custom model.

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On the RX 9060 XT side, the situation is less rosy. The Gigabyte WINDFORCE OC is currently priced at 447€ — which is +17% compared to its minimum of €382 . The ASUS DUAL follows the same trend at 444€ (+14.1%).

There, the increase is more noticeable. On a card for 400 bucks, +17% is almost 65€ more than a few weeks ago. It's not insignificant.

But — and this is the important "but" — these €447 remain below the average price of €484 displayed by the Gigabyte model. Same for the ASUS DUAL: €444 vs an average of €478. You pay less than the majority of previous buyers.

The AMD MSRP for the RX 9060 XT 16GB is $349 (around €374 in Europe). At €444-447, we are talking about +19 to +20% above the recommended price. Not great, but that's the real world of GPUs in 2026. And if you look at the curves on DropReference , you will see that these cards have actually almost never been sold at MSRP in France.

Three factors are combining right now. None has a quick solution.

GDDR7 memory is expensive. Memory manufacturers (Samsung, Micron, SK Hynix) prioritize HBM for data center GPUs - those that run AI. As a result, GDDR7 for gaming cards takes a back seat. Module prices have risen by 10 to 15% since the beginning of 2026 according to TrendForce. At $60-70 per 3GB module for GDDR7, this directly impacts the final price of the card.

Zero new generation in 2026. No RTX 50 SUPER, no RTX 60 before 2028, no RDNA 5 before mid-2027. Without new competition, current prices have no downward pressure. Manufacturers have no reason to lower prices.

The AI request sucks everything. Nvidia generated $47 billion in the datacenter last year. When you can sell chips at that price, gaming goes into autopilot mode. AMD is a bit more active on the gaming side with RDNA 4, but even for them, the margin on Instinct MI300/MI455X is more interesting than an RX 9060 XT at $349.

The million-dollar question. And the honest answer: it depends on your situation.

Buy now if:

• Your current card is dead or too tight for your games. Waiting 6 more months to save €30 while you play in Low 720p is absurd.
• You are aiming for an RX 9070 XT: at 655-679€, you are below the historical average. It's a good time.
• If you find a model on sale or close to its minimum on DropReference: go for it.

Wait if:

• Your current card is still doing the job. No new generation in 2026, so no rush. You lose nothing by waiting.
• You are targeting the RX 9060 XT and the price is at +15-17% above the minimum: it could go down. The curves show regular fluctuations.
• You hope for RDNA 5 or the RTX 60: that's mid-2027 at the earliest. Long.

The real advice: don't panic over a headline Look at the data. Prices fluctuate - a model that is at +17% today can fall back to +5% in three weeks. Price history is your best tool.

Instead of scrolling Amazon hoping to come across a deal, use a tracking tool. On the Stock GPU page from DropReference , you can:

• See the complete price history over several months with detailed curves. You immediately see if the current price is a peak, a trough, or the norm.
• Compare the current price vs the average vs the minimum — exactly the data that was used in this article. Each product sheet displays these three numbers.
• Filter by GPU — RX 9060 XT, RX 9070 XT, RTX 5070... you choose your target and you monitor.

The principle is simple: buying at the minimum is luck. Buying below average is being smart. And with the right tools, it's not complicated.

Probably yes, at least slightly. The shortage of GDDR7 will not be resolved before the end of 2026, and no new generation of GPUs is putting pressure on prices. But the increases should remain moderate — we are talking about +5 to +15% on mid-range models, not a doubling.

Yes. It's practically at MSRP (€649 in Europe) and especially well below the average price of €726 observed over the past few months. For a custom OC card, it's a fair price.

It's above the MSRP of €374, but below the average observed. If you need a mid-range card now, it's not a bad price. If you can wait and monitor the trends on DropReference , you could save 30-50€ on a dent.

GDDR7 memory has increased by 10-15% since the beginning of 2026 due to AI demand. Manufacturers are passing on the cost. Add European VAT, retailer margins, and the lack of new competition, and you get prices that remain above MSRP.

No massive drop in sight before mid-2027 at the earliest, when RDNA 5 and potentially the RTX 60 will arrive. In the meantime, prices fluctuate — there will be temporary lows to watch out for, but no return to widespread MSRP.

GPU prices are rising. It's a fact. But "prices going up" doesn't mean "it's the end of the world" .

The RX 9070 XT remains one of the best performance/price ratios on the market and is still below its historical average. The RX 9060 XT has taken a more pronounced hit, but also remains below its average. No one is ripping you off - cards cost what memory, demand, and lack of competition dictate.

The best reflex: follow price trends on DropReference , set a target price, and buy when it goes below. No panic, no FOMO. Just data.