Nvidia Could Re-Release RTX 3060 GPUs to Combat Skyrocketing RAM Prices
There may be some relief on the horizon for PC gamers, with a new rumor claiming Nvidia will re-release the RTX 3060 GPU. Graphics cards, SSDs, and other components have seen rapidly rising prices lately as RAM becomes harder and more expensive to obtain for consumers and manufacturers alike. Now, if leaks are to be believed, Nvidia, one of the biggest players in the PC gaming space, could lessen the blow by relaunching a more affordable option.
It hasn’t been easy for gamers to get their hands on new, high-end hardware lately. As the global RAM shortage sent shockwaves across the PC parts supply chain, some retailers listed RTX 5090 GPUs for $3,000 and up, with all signs pointing to even bigger increases on the way. Nvidia has yet to make an official comment on the matter, but there are plenty of rumors about what it has going on behind the scenes. One of the latest may offer an unexpected glimmer of hope at an otherwise trying time for PC builders.
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Leaker Claims Nvidia Will Re-Release the RTX 3060 in Early 2026
On January 5, PC hardware leaker hongxing2020 released a brief but promising claim that Nvidia will bring back the RTX 3060 in Q1 2026. Nvidia stopped making RTX 3060 GPUs in late 2024, roughly three years after the line came out. The card was wildly popular both before and after its discontinuation, and while it may not deliver the kinds of performance the newer 40 and 50-series GPUs do, its price, which starts around $330, is a welcome change for many in a sea of sky-high price tags for more recent hardware. That affordability, and its use of older, less AI-affected memory, would make a re-release make sense, although there’s no official confirmation, and hongxing2020 did not provide any more details.
Despite the lack of specifics, hongxing2020’s statements do carry some weight, considering the leaker’s history of accurate claims. In the past, they’d correctly leaked Nvidia’s RTX 5050 releasing in July 2025. They also predicted a delay for the 50 Super series of GPUs, which seems likely in light of how Nvidia has confirmed it’s not showing off any new GPUs at CES 2026. Relaunching the 3060 could also help the company maintain sales and stay in the public’s good graces despite rising RAM prices, especially amid rumors that Nvidia will cut production on 50-series GPUs to account for the costs.
If Nvidia does resurrect the 3060, the GPU wouldn’t be totally immune to rising RAM costs, as it still needs memory affected by the shortage. However, it does use DDR6 rather than the more expensive DDR7 and, notably, uses far less RAM than Nvidia’s newer graphics card series. According to the most recent Steam hardware survey, the RTX 3060 8GB is the most popular GPU today, and those 8GB are a far cry from the 50-series, which can use as much as 32GB of VRAM. Even if the re-released 3060 comes with a higher price tag than it did back in 2021, those lower specs would mean it’d still be far cheaper to produce than a 50-series or 40-series alternative.
The move would make sense beyond catering to price-conscious consumers. Rising RAM costs affect companies like Nvidia, too, with Samsung reportedly doubling what it charges manufacturers for DDR5 as it reserves more of its memory production for AI use. Pivoting to focus on making lower-spec GPUs could lower Nvidia’s own expenses to help it weather the storm. Of course, the 3060’s return is just a rumor for now, so gamers will need to wait and see how things play out.
- Date Founded
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April 1, 1993
- Headquarters
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Santa Clara, California, United States
- CEO
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Jensen Huang
- Subsidiaries
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Mellanox Technologies, Cumulus Networks, NVIDIA Advanced Rendering Center