As if graphics cards like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 weren't enough of a problem, from lack of inventory to a questionable used market, now retail units could become even more expensive.

As reported by TechRadar, Samsung has announced that it will raise the price of semiconductor wafers, a key component of Nvidia's GeForce RTX 30 series GPUs. These graphics cards, which are already suffering from inflation due to shortages, could see an increase in MSRP to cover the added manufacturing costs.

This is not the only possibility. Nvidia, which posted record first-quarter earnings earlier this year, may simply absorb the additional costs, but the prospect of graphics cards becoming even more expensive is not a pleasant one. Especially when eager buyers are Googling hard to purchase the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 from reputable sellers.

Nevertheless, there may be some good news in Samsung's announcement. The reason for the semiconductor price increase is apparently to fund a new manufacturing facility in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. In theory, this should increase production and help avoid a recurrence of parts shortages, meaning that Nvidia (and many other companies that rely on Samsung's semiconductor technology) will have a hard time meeting demand for their latest hardware. [A new generation of cards based on the Nvidia AD102 GPU is expected to be available as early as 2022.

What if you can't wait that long? For the time being, your best bet is to keep an eye on the GPU restocking. Or, if you want a complete system, check out the best gaming PCs.