The computer hardware market is preparing for significant changes in the second half of 2026, which will primarily impact enthusiasts building PCs on a limited budget. Major graphics card manufacturer PC Partner Technology Group, owner of well-known brands such as ZOTAC, Inno3D, and Manli, has issued an alarming forecast. The company expects the situation with entry-level graphics card supplies to worsen further, inevitably leading to price increases for affordable models.
Structural Crisis in the Entry-Level Segment
According to PC Partner reports, the problem lies not only in logistics but also in a fundamental shift in production economics. The company's graphics card sales in the first half of 2026 fell by 18.4%. However, despite the drop in volume, the average selling price (ASP) increased. This indicates that the market is shifting towards more expensive products, while the profitability of budget solutions is falling to critical levels. For manufacturers, it is becoming economically unviable to produce cheap cards when component costs are rising faster than consumers' willingness to pay for them.
Factors Driving Price Pressure
The main driver of price increases is the rising cost of components. Manufacturers and partners of NVIDIA and AMD are facing higher costs for memory and other parts. In the flagship graphics card segment, this factor is offset by high margins and lower consumer price sensitivity. Meanwhile, for budget solutions, an increase in production costs of even a few dollars can make a product unprofitable or non-competitive. PC Partner notes that the availability of entry-level graphics cards will continue to deteriorate, which could lead to further price increases for the most affordable solutions.
Contradictory Data
There are differing views within the industry regarding the causes of the crisis. On one hand, PC Partner points to rising component costs as the main reason. On the other hand, market analysts suggest that the 18.4% drop in sales may be a result of market saturation following the booms of previous years, rather than just a shortage. Some experts believe that manufacturers are intentionally reducing the production of budget models to encourage a shift to more expensive solutions, using "shortage" as a marketing tool. Nevertheless, the fact of reduced supply of budget cards in the second half of 2026 is confirmed by the manufacturer's statements.
Forecast for the Second Half of 2026
For the average buyer, this means that finding an affordable graphics card will become more difficult. The market will likely split into two segments: a premium segment where prices will rise moderately, and a budget segment where shortages will push prices up. PC Partner expects the situation to persist until the end of the year unless there is a sharp drop in component prices. Buyers should expect that even entry-level models may cost more than at the beginning of the year, and store selection will be significantly limited.
