Some Japanese shops start rationing GPUs — graphics cards with 16GB VRAM and up are becoming harder to find, says one store
Some Japanese computer stores are limiting GPU purchases because of supply uncertainty, especially for models with 16GB of VRAM and up.
The ripple effect of the global memory shortage is steadily expanding and affecting industries beyond DRAM and NAND production. Nvidia is reportedly no longer supplying VRAM to its GPU board partners, and some Japanese PC retailers are starting to feel the pinch, according to ITmedia [machine translated]. Although the publication still hasn’t seen massive hikes in GPU pricing (compared to memory and storage), one shop said that it is only a matter of time before we start seeing empty shelves in the graphics card section.
Tsukumo eX., one of Akihabara’s most popular PC stores, is limiting buyers to just one GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 16GB or higher, or a Radeon RX 9000 series or higher, per purchase. The store says, “Cards equipped with high-capacity memory have become very difficult to procure. We still have stock at the moment, but we’re in a situation where we don’t know when the next shipment will arrive — or if it will arrive at all.” Other shops have similar concerns, wherein GPUs with 8GB of VRAM or more are becoming harder to restock.
It seems that other components, like GPUs, are also starting to be hit by the crisis. Graphics cards require VRAM, which differs from the memory modules we use in our computers. However, they’re still based on the same DRAM-type semiconductor technology, so when the big three chipmakers slashed DRAM production, GDDR supply tightened as well, likely forcing the consumer graphics card divisions of AMD, Intel, and Nvidia to reduce their output.
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Jowi Morales is a tech enthusiast with years of experience working in the industry. He’s been writing with several tech publications since 2021, where he’s been interested in tech hardware and consumer electronics.