We all know how expensive GPUs are right now, and it looks like the situation may get worse. Nvidia has reportedly raised prices for at least some of its RTX 50-series graphics cards behind the scenes, according to a report from Digitimes. The report suggests that not only has Nvidia raised prices for board partners and suppliers, but also allowed those companies to pass on the cost to customers.

Nvidia is reportedly raising prices behind the scenes

We might never know for sure, though

Digitimes cites a couple of reasons why Nvidia could be raising prices behind the scenes. The first is AI chip demand and the strict export controls placed on Nvidia's most powerful GPUs. The US has placed export restrictions on cards like the RTX 4090 and RTX 5090, prompting Nvidia's to release the RTX 4090D and RTX 5090D that are exclusive to China. Digitimes says that the ban on these high-end cards drove up demand globally, resulting in a channel price -- the cost of the GPU in the supply line -- that doubled shortly after releasing.

The other issue is the ongoing trade war between the US and China. Tariffs in excess of 100% have essentially placed a trade embargo on China, vastly increasing the cost of goods imported from the country. The report claims that Nvidia has mostly moved production of its Blackwell chips to the TSMC plant located in Arizona in an attempt to bypass the worst impacts of the tariffs. However, Digitimes says "materials, logistics, and other costs" have shot up, prompting price increases on Blackwell GPUs even when they're made in the US.

These costs can make the pricing situation complicated, but Digitimes says channel prices for the RTX 5090 have been increased by a little more than 10%, while server manufacturers have quoted prices around 10% to 15% higher.

It's hard to say when or even if we'll see the impact of these price increases. After taking a tumble shortly after release, prices on Nvidia's RTX 50-series GPUs have been climbing recently. For instance, the RTX 5070, which should cost $550, is listed for $610 at minimum, and some models are selling for as much as $750. Nvidia's most recent release, the RTX 5060 Ti, has also been victim of price increases. Despite a list price of $430 for the 16GB model, the card has never been sold in the US for less than $490.

Although Nvidia's RTX 50-series GPUs were initially hard to come by, that isn't the case any longer. All the cards Nvidia has released this generation are readily available at retailers, albeit at vastly inflated prices. The one exception is the RTX 5090, which remains elusive. Even if you can find it in stock, you can expect to spend at least $3,000 on the card.