AMD to Raise Radeon GPU Bundle Prices by 10% Starting July

AMD Radeon graphics cards may soon face another wave of price pressure. According to Board Channels, AMD has notified some AIB board partners of plans to increase the supply price of Radeon GPU and memory kits by approximately 10% starting in July. This change does not involve direct retail price adjustments but rather reflects a shift in the cost of the GPU core and GDDR6 memory combo kits that AMD supplies to graphics card manufacturers.

■ Core Supply Chain Changes

In simple terms, many AMD Radeon graphics cards are not sold as standalone GPU chips to board partners; instead, AMD bundles the GPU and memory together. This approach is more convenient for manufacturers, but when GDDR6 memory prices rise and global memory supply tightens, cost pressures are more directly passed on to board partners.

However, this does not mean users will immediately see a uniform 10% price increase across all Radeon graphics cards. From the supply chain to retail, there are factors like inventory, channels, promotions, and manufacturer pricing strategies. If retailers still have older stock, prices may not change right away. But if the cost of new batches increases, terminal prices for newer models like the RX 9000 series could gradually rise.

■ Consumer Advice

Many gamers' first reaction to such news is, "Why are graphics card prices going up again?" After all, GPU prices have already been impacted by AI demand, memory price hikes, and supply chain fluctuations in recent years. A major appeal of AMD cards has always been their value for money. If Radeon continues to raise prices, the choice between AMD, NVIDIA, and Intel for PC builders will become more nuanced.

Editor's Pick: If you're planning to upgrade your graphics card soon, it's worth keeping an eye on the actual selling prices of models like the RX 9060 XT, RX 9070, and RX 9070 XT. If you're not in a rush, you can also wait and see whether retail prices actually follow through after July.

Although the GPU kit accounts for only part of the total graphics card cost, and retail price increases may not directly reach 10%, retailers tend to adjust prices quickly. For users in North America, if you spot a recent low price on Amazon or Newegg, it's advisable to buy early to avoid being caught off guard by future price adjustments.