We Must Also Prepare for a Shortage of SSDs!

Hot news News Tech Tech News 01/26/2026

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TECH NEWS – A NAND shortage is looming, leading to stock shortages, and whatever remains available will come at a steep cost, pointing to serious trouble ahead.

After the DRAM shortage and the explosive surge in RAM prices, it is becoming evident that SSDs are next, as supply chain sources indicate that NAND chip prices are also heading for a sharp increase. The aggressive expansion of AI technologies has strained existing supply chains to such an extent that it has effectively become the main driver of instability in consumer PC markets. RAM prices are already extremely high, new GPU launches are being delayed, and now major NAND producers appear to be preparing substantial price hikes. According to ETNews, Samsung raised its NAND contract prices by more than 100 percent in the first quarter after securing major long-term agreements with leading clients such as Apple, Nvidia, and AMD.

If NAND chip prices effectively double this quarter, this could severely disrupt the consumer PC industry by directly pushing SSD prices much higher. Looking at the current retail landscape, SSD prices are climbing almost daily. Prices across all configurations are increasing, and there are currently no signs that this trend will slow down. On average, SSD prices have already risen by 18 percent since October, and considering the expected jump in NAND costs, today’s prices may soon look relatively low.

Hopes that NAND manufacturers might increase supply do not seem realistic at the moment. Due to the DRAM shortage, Samsung and SK Hynix are shifting parts of their production lines toward NAND, a move that further drives up NAND contract prices in pursuit of maximum profitability. In the consumer PC market, hardware procurement has become extremely challenging, as price increases across key components have become widespread. With AI development continuing to boost demand for DRAM, NAND, and other parts, there is currently no clear timeline for a return to normal conditions.

For gamers, the most sensible move right now may be to postpone PC upgrades, at least for the remainder of this year.

Source: WCCFTech, ETNews

Angyal Anikó

Anikó, our news editor and communication manager, is more interested in the business side of the gaming industry. She worked at banks, and she has a vast knowledge of business life. Still, she likes puzzle and story-oriented games, like Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments, which is her favourite title. She also played The Sims 3, but after accidentally killing a whole sim family, swore not to play it again. (For our office address, email and phone number check out our IMPRESSUM)