The AI RAM shortage isn’t just about RAM anymore; storage is seeing the same crunch. A mere year ago, the WD Black SN850X SSD cost $173 but now rings in at $649 – more than most PC components combined.
Consumer SSD prices have skyrocketed, doubling or tripling since last December. The Samsung 990 Pro, which once fetched $320, has hiked to nearly $1,000 for the 4TB version. Even external SanDisk SSDs saw a 200 percent price jump at the Apple Store in March.
The AI boom is gobbling up NAND flash memory – used not just in SSDs but USB drives and SD cards too. Demand from tech giants leaves scant inventory for everyday users, pushing prices ever higher. Even HDDs aren’t immune; a 2TB Seagate Barracuda that cost $47 now asks for $90.
With Micron seeing its NAND revenue skyrocket by 169 percent year-over-year, the consumer market struggles to keep up – even as AI companies continue to thrive. The future of storage looks increasingly pricey, leaving consumers wondering if their tech dreams can survive these shortages.
