Nvidia RTX 50-series consumer GPU prices surge up to 30% in South Korea due to TSMC wafer cost increases and $20 GDDR7 module premiums.

GPU prices are set to increase in South Korea starting this month, specifically for Nvidia's desktop GeForce RTX 50 series. The primary drivers are TSMC's recent price increases for advanced process wafers—extended across 3nm, 7nm, and legacy products—combined with surging GDDR7 memory costs. Most significantly, these regional dynamics signal that price hikes could spread to other markets globally.

GDDR7 2GB modules used in RTX 50 series GPUs have jumped to $20 per unit, according to market research firm TrendForce. As fabrication and memory costs have risen, Nvidia has increased the prices of RTX 50 series GPU packages sold to board partners, leaving them little choice but to pass higher costs to consumers.

Multiple officials from domestic importers and distributors in South Korea have confirmed the price rise, with major graphics card manufacturers planning increases of up to 30% starting this month. A manufacturing company official stated: "Major manufacturers have temporarily suspended shipments ahead of the August price hike, and to my knowledge, few companies have secured inventory prior to the price increase." A local distributor echoed this, noting: "One manufacturer with a low domestic market share is considering a price increase of about 20% compared to existing levels, and other manufacturers are also preparing for price increases of up to around 30%."

High-end graphics cards with larger GDDR7 memory configurations face the steepest production cost increases. According to Danawa, a South Korean price comparison website, the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB has risen to around 700,000 won (approximately $490), up roughly 100,000 won ($70) from previous levels. The RTX 5070's lowest-priced model now sits around 1.1 million won (approximately $770), reflecting an increase of about 200,000 won ($140).

The RTX 5090 flagship has absorbed the largest price hike. Depending on the model and manufacturer, it currently sells for up to 7.3 million won (around $5,112)—an increase of as much as 1.5 million won (around $1,050) compared to last month.