Entry-level GPUs were gamers’ last hope for keeping a new PC build within reach, but PC Partner Group—the company behind ZOTAC, INNO3D, and Manli—has warned that severe shortages could hit this tier during the second half of 2026. In its August 16 report, Wccftech states that the group expects average selling prices to climb as supply tightens.
This situation is concerning because the budget end of the market has become the option for builders who cannot justify the cost of 60- and 70-class cards. A modest graphics card used to be the compromise that made a complete gaming PC possible; now it risks becoming another component priced beyond its purpose.
The Affordable GPU Aisle Is Already Under Pressure
Wccftech reports that PC Partner Group expects “even more” severe shortages in entry-level graphics cards, linking the situation to rising memory costs and repeated vendor price adjustments this year. The warning arrives after higher-capacity cards and mid-range models already faced sharp price increases.
The report points to the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB reaching more than $800 at major retailers, despite launching at $429 last year. That kind of jump has already made the mid-range a hard sell, especially once builders add the cost of RAM and SSD storage to the rest of the system.
Entry-level products have not escaped the squeeze. Wccftech notes that cards including NVIDIA’s RTX 3050 and RTX 5050, along with AMD’s newly launched RX 9050, are already selling above their MSRPs. They remain cheaper than the higher-tier alternatives, but the gap matters less if street pricing keeps moving upward.
Why Shortages Hurt Budget Builders More Than Enthusiasts
A shortage at the top frustrates enthusiasts chasing maximum settings and high-resolution performance. A shortage at the bottom changes the entire build equation. Entry-level cards are where buyers accept lower settings, lighter ray tracing, or lower resolutions in exchange for simply getting into modern PC gaming without turning the graphics card into the dominant cost of the machine.
This situation is more than just another expensive-GPU headline. When affordable cards disappear or climb far above their intended price bracket, value-conscious players lose the fallback option: buying less performance without paying a premium.
The entry-level market is supposed to make compromise practical. If it starts charging mid-range money for baseline hardware, the compromise stops working.
The Player-Facing Test Is Price, Not a Spec-Sheet Victory
The report does not specify which models will face the worst supply constraints, but PC Partner Group’s forecast gives prospective builders a clear reason to watch actual retailer pricing rather than assuming lower-tier cards will stay affordable by default. Peak-performance shoppers may still find expensive options, but the real concern is whether a modest GPU can continue to anchor a balanced, cost-efficient gaming PC.
Are you buying an entry-level GPU now, holding out for a better deal, or turning to older hardware to keep your next PC build affordable? Share your plan in the comments.
