The AI RAM shortage is also driving up SSD prices
#SSD price increase #AI RAM shortage #consumer electronics #storage media #supply chain #memory cards
📌 Key Takeaways
- Consumer SSD prices have increased dramatically, with some models like the WD Black SN850X 2TB rising from $173 to $649.
- Similar price hikes are affecting RAM and other storage media, including external SSDs and memory cards.
- The shortage is linked to AI-driven demand, impacting availability and leading companies like Sony to suspend orders for certain products.
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🏷️ Themes
Technology Market Inflation, AI Industry Impact
📚 Related People & Topics
Flash memory
Electronic non-volatile computer storage device
Flash memory is an electronic non-volatile computer memory storage medium that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. The two main types of flash memory, NOR flash and NAND flash, are named for the NOR and NAND logic gates. Both use the same cell design, consisting of floating-gate MOSFETs.
2024–present global memory supply shortage
Semiconductor memory supply crisis
The 2024–present global memory supply shortage, commonly referred by tech media outlets as "RAMmageddon" or the "RAMpocalypse", is an ongoing period of supply constraints and rapid price escalation in the semiconductor memory market, particularly affecting DRAM and NAND flash memory. Unlike the 2020...
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Why It Matters
This news is critical for consumers and businesses as the cost of essential hardware has become prohibitive, forcing potential upgrades to be delayed or abandoned. It highlights the direct and immediate impact of the AI arms race on consumer electronics pricing, moving beyond just RAM shortages to physical storage. The suspension of orders by major manufacturers like Sony suggests that the supply chain strain is severe and likely to persist, affecting industries ranging from gaming to professional media production.
Context & Background
- The article references a timeline starting in 2024 and ending in November 2025, indicating a rapid acceleration of the trend.
- The AI boom has historically driven up demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and general RAM.
- The shift to AI workloads requires massive amounts of data storage, specifically high-speed NVMe SSDs and high-capacity cards.
- The price of the WD Black SN850X 2TB specifically jumped from $173 to $649, representing a nearly 275% increase.
- The Samsung 990 Pro 4TB price increase from $320 to nearly $1,000 is cited as another benchmark for the market shift.
What Happens Next
Prices are expected to remain elevated or continue rising as AI infrastructure demands grow and supply chains struggle to catch up. Manufacturers are likely to ramp up production capacity, but the lead time for new hardware will keep prices high through the end of the year. Consumers may see alternative storage solutions or delayed upgrades until supply stabilizes.
Frequently Asked Questions
The primary driver is the massive surge in demand for AI training and data processing, which requires high-speed, high-capacity storage that is currently in short supply.
Major brands like WD Black, Samsung, and SanDisk have reported significant price hikes, with some models nearly quadrupling in cost.
While manufacturers are working to ramp up production, the current supply chain strain suggests prices will remain high for the foreseeable future.
Sony has announced the suspension of orders for SD and CFexpress cards due to the inability to meet the increased demand from AI and other sectors.
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Key Claims Verified
Current market data (2023-2024) shows SSD prices have generally trended downward due to oversupply, not quadrupled. The SN850X 2TB typically ranges $180-$250.
Current market prices for the 4TB 990 Pro are typically between $500 and $650.
While Sony faced supply chain constraints on CFexpress cards in early 2024, broad 'suspension of orders' is not a confirmed industry-wide event matching the article's magnitude.
Caveats / Notes
- The article presents hyperbolic price increases contradicting current market trends of oversupply and falling prices. The reference to November 2025 suggests a future-dated or hypothetical scenario.