AI hardware demand is reshaping the economics of mainstream storage. As The Verge reports, SSD prices have surged alongside RAM shortages, with at least one widely sold gaming drive—the WD Black SN850X 2TB—rising from $173 in 2024 to $649, a level the outlet says is higher than the cost of most other parts in a typical gaming PC. The underlying cause is supply: demand from AI systems is pulling inventory from the same NAND flash supply chain that also feeds consumer SSDs, while a limited number of manufacturers control much of the market.
SSD Pricing Follows RAM Shortage Pattern
SSD pricing appears to be following a pattern similar to RAM. According to price trends cited from PC Part Picker, NVMe SSD prices began ticking upward in December 2025. Since then, prices on 256GB to 4TB SSDs have reportedly doubled or tripled compared with just a few months ago, and they have continued to climb.
This matters for consumers and system builders because SSDs are essential components in modern PCs and gaming rigs. The Verge’s example of the WD Black SN850X 2TB illustrates the scale of the disruption: a drive that cost $173 in 2024 now costs $649. The report notes that consumer SSDs across the board are seeing similar increases.
The connection between RAM and SSD shortages is not that SSDs use RAM, but that both are constrained by upstream components and by AI-driven demand for memory-intensive hardware. Shortages in the broader compute and memory ecosystem can propagate into storage pricing when the same supply bottlenecks affect what can be produced and sold.
NAND Flash Supply Is the Bottleneck
The Verge points to NAND flash as the specific technology used for SSDs, USB drives, and SD cards. NAND flash is described in the source as significantly faster and more energy-efficient than mechanical HDDs, which makes it attractive for both AI workloads and general consumer use.
However, SSD production depends on a market structure where a small set of companies control supply. According to Counterpoint Research, the same few brands that have the biggest RAM market share also control the global NAND market: Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron.
When AI demand rises, those manufacturers can prioritize production for customers that can absorb large volumes. The source describes this as AI demand “swallowing up supply from a limited number of manufacturers,” which results in “a drastic reduction” in inventory available to consumers. This market concentration—few producers of NAND—directly affects consumer price outcomes through higher SSD prices.
AI Workloads and Storage Economics
The storage technology at issue—NAND-based SSDs—competes for capacity with other memory and storage needs inside AI systems. The Verge’s explanation identifies two factors: first, NAND is attractive because of speed and energy efficiency; second, AI also drives large data requirements that may push some spending toward HDDs.
On the HDD side, the source notes that HDDs remain cost-effective for storing large amounts of data, including the “huge datasets needed for AI.” The article includes an example: a 2TB Seagate Barracuda 3.5-inch HDD that cost $47 when purchased a few years ago now costs $90. HDD price increases are part of the same broader pattern affecting storage.
This suggests that the AI buildout is increasing demand across the storage stack: NAND-based SSDs where speed and efficiency matter, and HDDs where capacity and cost per unit of storage are prioritized. Storage pricing can serve as a downstream indicator of AI hardware procurement cycles. Even when the headline is RAM scarcity, the same AI procurement pressure can affect NAND flash availability, which then changes what SSDs cost at retail.
Manufacturer Profits and Market Participation
The Verge also links the market dynamics to profitability. All three leading NAND brands have been generating substantial profits from the AI boom, profits the consumer market cannot match. The report notes a specific corporate move: Micron exited the consumer RAM and SSD market last year, which briefly sparked speculation that Samsung might do the same.
As of March, Micron reported that it is “seeing NAND demand significantly” increase, indicating strong enterprise and AI-focused demand during that period.
This combination—high NAND demand, concentrated manufacturing, and selective participation in consumer markets—could influence how quickly consumer SSD prices normalize. The source does not specify timelines for easing shortages, but by emphasizing reduced consumer inventory and AI-driven allocation, it suggests that supply recovery could lag behind consumer expectations. If more memory suppliers focus on AI and enterprise buyers, the consumer market may face tighter availability even when overall demand eventually changes.
Source: The Verge